Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stated on the 12th that Japan will take 'all necessary steps' to respond to US tariffs and will not hesitate to take additional measures if necessary.
He said during a meeting of the Japanese House of Representatives Budget Committee that an agreement with the United States without including the automotive sector is unacceptable, nor will he sacrifice agriculture for the sake of the automotive industry, such as using the expansion of imports of American rice as a bargaining chip in negotiations.
Ishiba also stated at a Liberal Democratic Party meeting that he hopes the Japan-US tariff negotiations will achieve outcomes that ensure Japan's national interests.
Japan and the United States have held two rounds of tariff negotiations so far, with Japan continuously requesting the US to reassess tariff measures, but the US has insisted on not giving Japan 'special treatment' on products like automobiles and steel.