Japan to Scrutinize Impact of Trump's New Tariffs

Tokyo, Feb. 24 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government on Tuesday expressed its intention to scrutinize the impact on Japanese industries of U.S. President Donald Trump's new tariffs, which may put higher levies on some items than under a bilateral trade agreement struck last year.

The new tariffs were abruptly announced after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled his reciprocal tariffs unconstitutional Friday.

Tokyo plans to stress its policy of steadily implementing its pledge to spend 550 billion dollars on investments and loans in the United States, a pillar of the trade deal, and call on Washington to implement the agreement.

In a 40-minute phone meeting with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Monday, Japanese trade minister Ryosei Akazawa urged the United States to ensure that Japan is not treated less favorably under Trump's new tariffs than under last year's trade deal. The two also affirmed that their nations will work on the sincere and prompt implementation of the Japan-U.S. agreement.

"Some items with (a reciprocal tariff rate of) 15 pct may be subject to additional tariff burdens," Akazawa said at a press conference on Tuesday, voicing his intention to make arrangements to ask the U.S. side to follow the agreement.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]