Japan asks U.S. not to slap higher tariffs in weeks before Takaichi's visit

Following talks with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in Washington lasting about two hours, Akazawa told reporters they also discussed the next round of joint business projects, as well as cooperation in the strategically important fields of energy, critical minerals and artificial intelligence.

The meeting between Akazawa, minister of economy, trade and industry, and Lutnick came after the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated President Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs two weeks ago, dealing a severe blow to his signature economic policy.

Since then, the confusion over Trump's tariff strategy has intensified.

A new 10 percent global tariff intended to temporarily replace the invalidated duties, which Trump announced shortly after the legal defeat, took effect on Feb. 24, relying on a different statute.

Trump and senior administration officials have said the rate of the new blanket tariff will be raised to 15 percent, and they will consider more durable country-by-country duties while imposing the temporary levy, set to last 150 days.

Akazawa, when he met the press, said he asked the United States not to subject Japanese imports to the envisaged 15 percent tariff or other potentially higher duties in the future.

He declined to disclose whether Lutnick had accepted the request, noting that it was "a matter of diplomatic exchanges."

Prior to the court's decision, Japanese imports were subject to a 15 percent country-specific tariff.

With Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi set to meet with Trump at the White House on March 19, the minister said Tokyo and Washington will continue to work closely to make her visit "fruitful" and ensure it demonstrates to the world that the two countries are "special partners."

Despite Trump's legal defeat over a large chunk of his far-reaching tariff agenda, Japan has shown a willingness to follow the terms of a trade agreement it reached with the United States in July last year.

Under the deal, Japan promised to invest $550 billion in U.S.-based strategic industries by the end of Trump's second term in January 2029, in return for his administration lowering tariffs on Japanese imports.

During the lengthy negotiations last year, Japan ultimately received "no-stacking" special treatment from the Trump administration, under which imports from the country with preexisting tariffs of 15 percent or higher were exempt from further levies, while duties on other items were at 15 percent.

With the imposition of the new 10 percent tariff, some goods from Japan now face higher tariff rates than before. Akazawa said he had told Lutnick that Japan should be treated in line with the July bilateral agreement.

Without mentioning tariff issues, the U.S. Commerce Department said on social media that Lutnick and Akazawa reaffirmed a "shared commitment to building on" last month's deal on the first set of projects selected under the $550 billion package.

A few days before the top court's ruling, Japan and the United States announced the first three projects, valued at $36 billion, including building a gas-fired generating facility in Ohio, the largest of its kind in U.S. history, to power AI data centers.

Among the second batch of projects under discussion is the construction of small modular reactors for AI data centers, according to officials familiar with the matter.

Earlier Qazinform reported, Japan and Canada agreed to launch economic security dialogue, cyber talks.