Japan PM Ishiba After Meeting Trump Voices Optimism Over Averting

Ishiba says no talk with Trump on auto tariffs at summit


Trump identifies Japan's US substantial investment, task creation


LNG, steel, AI and vehicles are locations Japan can invest in US


Nippon Steel will run under US management, personnel


Japan will not raise defence costs without public assistance


TOKYO, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed optimism on Sunday that his nation might prevent higher U.S. tariffs, wiki.whenparked.com saying President Donald Trump had actually "recognised" Japan's big financial investment in the U.S. and forum.pinoo.com.tr the American jobs that it develops.


At his very first White House summit on Friday, Ishiba informed public broadcaster NHK, he explained to Trump how many Japanese car manufacturers were creating tasks in the United States.


The two did not particularly go over car tariffs, Ishiba said, although he said he did not understand whether Japan would go through the mutual tariffs that Trump has actually said he plans to trouble imports.


Tokyo has so far escaped the trade war Trump unleashed in his first weeks in workplace. He has actually announced tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China, experienciacortazar.com.ar although he held off the 25% responsibilities on his North American neighbours to allow for talks.


The intensifying trade stress considering that Trump went back to the White House on January 20 threaten to burst the international economy.


Ishiba said he thinks Trump "acknowledged the reality Japan has been the world's largest financier in the United States for 5 straight years, and is for that reason different from other countries."


"Japan is creating lots of U.S. tasks. I think (Washington) won't go straight to the concept of greater tariffs," he said.


Ishiba voiced optimism that Japan and the U.S. can prevent a tit-for-tat tariff war, stressing that tariffs need to be put in place in a manner that "advantages both sides".


"Any action that exploits or excludes the other side will not last," Ishiba said. "The question is whether there is any problem between Japan and the United States that warrants imposing greater tariffs," he added.


Japan had the greatest foreign direct investment in the United States in 2023 at $783.3 billion, ura.cc followed by Canada and asteroidsathome.net Germany, according to the most recent U.S. Commerce Department information.


Trump pushed Ishiba to close Japan's $68.5 billion yearly trade surplus with Washington but revealed optimism this could be done rapidly, given a promise by Ishiba to bring Japanese financial investment in the U.S. to $1 trillion.


On Sunday, Ishiba recognized liquefied natural gas, steel, AI and cars as locations that Japanese companies might purchase.


He likewise touched on Trump's guarantee to look at Nippon Steel buying U.S. Steel, higgledy-piggledy.xyz instead of purchasing the storied American company - a planned purchase opposed by Trump and obstructed by his predecessor, Joe Biden.


"Investment is being made to make sure that it remains an American business. It will continue to operate under American management, with American workers," Ishiba said. "The bottom line is how to ensure it remains an American business. From President Trump's viewpoint, this is of utmost value."


On military spending, bio.rogstecnologia.com.br another area where Trump has actually pushed allies for increases, Ishiba said Japan would not increase its defence budget without very first winning public support. "It is vital to make sure that what is considered needed is something the taxpayers can understand and support," he said. (Reporting by Leika Kihara: by Tim Kelly; Editing by William Mallard)