“A Great Honour to have just met with the Japanese Delegation on Trade. Big Progress!” Trump said in a social media message that contained no details of the discussions.
Tokyo sent its Economic Revitalisation Minister Ryosei Akazawa to kickstart the talks, and he was due to brief reporters on Wednesday evening about the Washington meeting.
The Japanese official had hoped to limit the discussions to trade and investment matters.
But Trump weighed in early on Wednesday, saying he would also be there to raise issues including how much Tokyo pays towards hosting US troops in Japan, the biggest US overseas deployment.
“Japan is coming in today to negotiate Tariffs, the cost of military support, and ‘TRADE FAIRNESS’,” he said in a post on Truth Social.
“I will attend the meeting, along with Treasury & Commerce Secretaries. Hopefully something can be worked out which is good (GREAT!) for Japan and the USA!”
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick participated along with other officials.
Trump’s announcement earlier this month of sharp tariff increases on trading partners around the world has ignited worries about risks of a recession, higher inflation and rising interest rates and sent financial markets reeling.
Bessent also wanted to discuss the thorny issue of exchange rates with Japan, one of the first countries to begin face-to-face negotiations since Trump announced sweeping duties on dozens of countries – both friend and foe – earlier this month.
Japan has been hit with 24 percent levies on its exports to the United States although these rates have, like most of Trump’s tariffs, been paused for 90 days. But a 10 percent universal rate remains in place as does a 25 percent duty for cars, a mainstay of Japan’s export-reliant economy.
Tokyo denies it manipulates its yen currency to gain advantage. (Reuters)
