WNAM REPORT: Japan is taking a nonconfrontational approach with the U.S. on tariffs ahead of top negotiator Ryosei Akazawa’s visit to Washington later this week, aiming to keep negotiation channels open with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Questioned in parliament Monday over his government’s response to the tariffs, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba again ruled out imposing retaliatory measures for now, arguing that escalation would not serve the country’s national interest.
Similarly, Ishiba voiced his reluctance on filing the case with the World Trade Organization (WTO), opting instead to prioritize bilateral negotiations with the U.S. While countries including Canada and China have shown a more muscular stance, Japan — which had long hoped for an ad-hoc exemption from the tariffs — has chosen a more measured response.
