What more can Japan give? Tokyo braces for Trump’s tariffs as talks hit deadlock

The Japanese are feeling ‘sad and betrayed’ at the US president’s treatment of a long-term ally, an observer says

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Tokyo’s international cargo terminal on Friday. Japan could be hit by US tariffs as high as 35 per cent when the 90-day pause ends on July 9. Photo: AFP

Published: 12:00pm, 5 Jul 2025

With just days to go before the 90-day pause on steep US tariffs expires on Wednesday, Japanese policymakers and the public are growing increasingly frustrated over stalled negotiations and what one observer described as the “sheer capriciousness” of President Donald Trump’s escalating trade threats.

Tokyo’s scramble to secure an agreement before next week’s deadline comes amid growing concern that the window for diplomacy is narrowing, with many US officials away for the Independence Day holidays.

While Japanese officials prepare for an eighth round of ministerial-level talks in Washington over the weekend, critics say Trump’s hardline tactics are already testing the limits of trust between the two allies – and may ultimately prompt a broader rethink in Japan over how it manages both its economic and security partnerships.

“The Japanese government has done all that it can in its talks on tariffs with the US and to give more would just weaken our economy to a dangerous point,” Japanese businessman Ken Kato said.

Japan’s chief tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa (right) leaves the US Department of Commerce in Washington after holding talks with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on June 27. Photo: Kyodo

Kato, who owns a company that trades internationally, describes himself as a conservative and was initially supportive of Trump’s return to the White House.

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