Trump Intervenes Directly To Meet Japanese Minister To Discuss US Tariffs

US President Donald Trump/PHOTO via Instagram @whitehouse

JAKARTA - US President Donald Trump will attend a meeting of Japanese and US trade officials on Wednesday local time.

This is a surprising step that emphasizes his desire to oversee negotiations sparked by a series of global import rates.

Tokyo sent its economic minister Ryosei Akazawa to start talks, hoping to meet Trump's Finance Minister Scott Bessent in Washington.

But Trump considered it early on Wednesday, April 16, saying he would also attend the negotiation meeting.

Trump will discuss a number of issues including the amount Tokyo paid for the costs of accommodating US troops in Japan, the largest overseas deployment globally.

"Japan will come today to negotiate tariffs, military support costs, and 'TRADE JUSTICE'," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

"I will attend the meeting, together with the Minister of Finance & Trade. Hopefully something good can be resolved (HEBAT!) for Japan and the US !," Trump added.

Bessent also wants to discuss a complicated exchange rate issue with Japan, one of the first countries to start face-to-face negotiations since Trump announced a huge import duty in dozens of countries - both friends and opponents - earlier this month.

Japan is subject to a 24% levy of its exports to the United States even though this tariff, such as most Trump tariffs, has been suspended for 90 days.

However, the universal tariff of 10% remains valid, as is the duty of 25% for cars, which is Japan's economic mainstay which depends on exports.

Bessent said there was a "profit as the first mover" considering Washington said more than 75 countries were asking for negotiations.

However, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Monday his country, a close US ally, would not rush into an agreement and would not plan to make a major concession.

Ishiba, for now, has ruled out countermeasures against US tariffs.