Ishiba of Japan to Hold Phone Talks with Trump Next Week... Discussing Tariff Issues

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed on the 5th his desire to have a phone consultation with U.S. President Donald Trump next week regarding the U.S. reciprocal tariff measure (24% on Japan).

According to local media such as Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Prime Minister Ishiba said on a Yomiuri TV program that day, "I want to discuss how to create jobs in the U.S. and benefit Japan," adding, "I would like to have (the phone consultation) sometime next week."

He explained that the reason for pushing for the phone consultation is that "only President Trump can make the final decision," and that there is a need for direct negotiations between the two heads of state on the tariff issue.

Prime Minister Ishiba also mentioned that the Japanese government is preparing specific proposals to present in the negotiations, saying, "It will be done as a set or package."

Regarding Japan's retaliatory measures in response to the U.S. reciprocal tariffs, he drew a line by stating, "All options are on the table, but I have no intention of responding to verbal abuse with verbal abuse."

Shigeru Ishiba, Prime Minister of Japan. Photo by Yonhap News

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