Ryohei Akazawa, the Minister of Economic Revitalization who represented Japan in the U.S.-Japan tariff negotiations, said on the 5th (local time) that he would demand revisions from the United States regarding parts that are different from the agreed contents related to the tariff agreement between the two countries.
According to local media, including Kyodo News, Akazawa met with reporters at an airport near Washington, D.C., on the same day and noted that "the content is different from what I heard from U.S. officials regarding the reciprocal tariff announcement." Akazawa is expected to stay in the United States for five days from that day to review the tariff agreement.
Japan agreed to reduce the reciprocal tariff from 25% to 15% and car tariffs from a total of 27.5% to 15% at the end of last month. At that time, the Japanese side explained that for items with a tariff rate below 15%, a reciprocal tariff of 15% would apply, while for goods that had a tariff rate exceeding 15%, no additional reciprocal tariff would be applied.
However, such special measures were not applied to Japan in the Presidential decree and customs authorities' documents. Akazawa is anticipated to request revisions on this point.
He also addressed the $550 billion (approximately 765 trillion won) investment in the U.S. by Japan, regarding which President Donald Trump mentioned "the funds we can invest as we please," stating that "if it doesn't benefit Japanese corporations and the Japanese economy, we cannot cooperate."
However, he added that Trump's intentions will be strongly reflected in the establishment of supply chains within the United States. Akazawa also said that he is strongly demanding that the reduction in U.S. car tariffs be implemented as soon as possible.