Trump-Ishiba Talks By Phone, Japan-US Agrees On Bilateral Win-win Relations

JAKARTA - Japan and the United States agreed to achieve bilateral win-win relations through tariff negotiations, according to Kyodo News reports, after Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba spoke with US President Donald Trump.

The phone call, requested by the US, comes ahead of a third round of ministerial-level tariff talks in Washington on Friday local time.

Japan has urged the US to review its tariff policy, including import duties of 25 percent for cars.

While the "resiprocal" tariff of 24 percent has been suspended, the US is still imposing a 10 percent base import duty, as well as tariffs targeting steel and aluminum.

"I said that I hope the ministerial level meeting will take place productively and (Trump) agree," Ishiba told reporters after a phone call was reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Friday, May 23.

"We agree on the need for closer bilateral cooperation, including in the field of economic security," he continued.

"Our attitude has not changed, we will continue to urge the United States to withdraw the tariff," said Ishiba.

The two leaders also agreed to explore a possible meeting on the sidelines of the G7 leader's summit in Canada on June 15-17.

Ishiba said he also did not rule out the possibility of traveling to the US to meet Trump, depending on how the situation developed.