US and Japan reach trade deal

US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced that the two countries have reached a trade agreement to reduce the "reciprocal" tariff rate from 25 to 15 percent.

In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday night, Trump wrote, "We just completed a massive deal with Japan, perhaps the largest deal ever made."

Trump said Japan had agreed to further open its market to US goods, including automobiles, trucks, rice, and other agricultural and industrial products. Under the new deal, Japan will pay a 15 percent reciprocal tariff to the US.

At a news conference on Wednesday morning, Ishiba said, "We have engaged in tough negotiations over automobiles and other products, with national interests at stake. This is the result of those efforts."

Regarding direct talks with Trump, Ishiba said, "I will hold phone or face-to-face meetings as necessary."

Responding to Trump's post on his social media claiming a reciprocal tariff rate of 15 percent with Japan, Ishiba said he had received a report from Minister of Economic and Fiscal Policy Ryosei Akazawa about his meeting with Trump.

He emphasized, "This will protect our national interests, help both Japan and the US to create jobs, produce good products, and contribute to various roles in the world going forward."

Japan was previously subjected to a 24 percent reciprocal tariff on April 2. Despite a series of visits to Washington by Japanese trade envoy Akazawa, who held talks with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Trump earlier this month unilaterally sent a letter to Ishiba announcing the imposition of a 25 percent tariff.

houjunjie@chinadaily.com.cn