(AFP) – Japan’s trade minister is arranging a visit to the United States in coming weeks to seek exemptions from President Donald Trump’s tariffs, local media said Thursday. This month, Trump said he was “simplifying our tariffs on steel and aluminum” as he signed off on a fresh round of import duties, which take effect on March 12. “It’s 25 percent without exceptions or exemptions,” he said in the Oval Office at the time.
This week, Trump also warned he will impose tariffs “in the neighbourhood of 25 percent” on auto imports, and a similar amount or higher on semiconductors and pharmaceuticals. Vehicles represented 28 percent of all Japan’s exports to the United States last year.
Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yoji Muto is seeking to make his US trip before March 12, the Asahi newspaper and Kyodo News reported, citing unnamed government sources. The trade ministry told AFP that no official announcement had been made. Muto was arranging meetings with new US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and others, the Asahi said. He hopes to highlight Japan’s contribution to the US economy, including investments and liquified natural gas imports, it added.
Last week, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya reportedly said he had asked his US counterpart Marco Rubio to exempt Japan from the steel and aluminum tariffs. Muto’s meetings, if realised, may also touch on the blocked acquisition of US Steel by Nippon Steel, the Asahi said. Trump recently said Nippon Steel would “invest” in US Steel instead.
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