TOKYO: Japan’s government said Thursday it received “positively” US Donald Trump’s pause on new tariffs but still “strongly“ demands that Washington reconsider other levies.
“We received the latest US announcement positively,“ chief government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi told a regular briefing.
But he added: “We continue to strongly demand that the United States reviews measures on its reciprocal tariffs, tariffs on steel and aluminium, and tariffs on vehicles and auto parts.”
Trump’s announcement last week of sweeping “reciprocal” tariffs for a slew of countries included a 24-percent levy on imports from Japan, the world number four economy.
Trump announced on Wednesday a 90-day pause on these tariffs but others remain in place, including 25-percent levies on cars coming into the United States.
The auto sector in Japan, a close US ally, is a major pillar of the economy, employing about 5.6 million people directly or indirectly.
These and other Japanese firms are also heavily reliant on production sites elsewhere, including in countries such as Vietnam hit with even higher tariffs.
