Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Tuesday that the country has yet to finalise a comprehensive tariff agreement with the United States, as certain differences between the two sides remain unresolved.
Ishiba, talking to reporters after the Group of Seven (G7) leaders’ summit in Canada on Tuesday, emphasised the importance of securing a trade deal that benefits both countries while safeguarding Japan’s national interests.
The Japanese Prime Minister, who was at his first G7 summit as prime minister, held tariff talks with US President Donald Trump on Monday, but the meeting ended without an agreement to lower or eliminate the 25% tariff Trump has imposed on Japanese auto imports.
Exploring Possibilities Until Last Moment
Ishiba said US tariff measures were impacting the earnings of many Japanese companies, including those in the automobile sector, while causing a significant impact on the global economy.
“Both Japan and the United States have continued sincere discussions, exploring the possibility of an agreement until the last moment,” he said. But Ishiba added there still remain points of disagreement between the two sides.
Ishiba’s news conference in Calgary, Canada was held following a gathering of G7 leaders at the nearby Kananaskis mountain resort in the Canadian Rockies.
Several High-Profile Meetings
The Japanese leader also met other leaders for bilateral talks including his first meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Ishiba also discussed security relations with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung before heading back to Tokyo.
The summit ended without a joint statement of support from the group for Ukraine after U.S. President Donald Trump expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin and left the event a day early to address the Israel-Iran conflict.
On the Middle East, Ishiba said he had told G7 leaders that Iran’s nuclear development was “never tolerable” while stressing the importance of diplomatic efforts through dialogue.
Ishiba will participate in the NATO Summit in the Netherlands next week, he added.
(With inputs from Reuters)
