U.S. President Donald Trump said on the 22nd (local time) that he has made "the largest trade agreement in history with Japan," while Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba also announced that the U.S. and Japan have reached an agreement on tariff negotiations.
According to the Nikkei newspaper, Prime Minister Ishiba noted that shortly after President Trump announced the agreement between the two countries on social media (SNS), he met with reporters at the Prime Minister's residence and said, "We have negotiated up to our limits over national interests, such as automobiles. That is how this has come about."
He added, "This will protect Japan's national interests, create jobs in both the U.S. and Japan, produce good products, and contribute to playing various roles in the world in the future."
Earlier, Japan's chief negotiator, Minister of Economic Revitalization Ryosei Akazawa, reportedly briefed Prime Minister Ishiba on the agreement reached with President Trump.
Japanese media reported the news of the negotiation's conclusion as breaking news. NHK quoted Japanese government officials stating, "The additional tariff of 25% on automobiles, which was the focus of the negotiations, will be set at half, at 12.5%", adding, "The U.S. and Japan agreed on a total of 15%, including the previous rate of 2.5%."
In response to the news of the negotiation's conclusion, the Nikkei average stock price in Tokyo surpassed 40,000 yen at one point on the 23rd, showing significant growth. Stocks of Japanese automobile companies such as Toyota, Mazda, and Subaru, which are directly affected by tariffs, all rose by more than 10%.