Keidanren Leader Urges Japanese Government to Be More Tenacious in Negotiations with the United States

Keidanren Chairman Shoichi Tokura expressed concern over the weakening confidence among Japanese domestic companies, as fears grow that Trump's tariff hikes could trigger a global economic recession. Tokura stated, "What many in various industries are more worried about is how uncertainty leads to a decline in spending and investment, rather than any direct impact of U.S. tariffs." He also mentioned that tariffs have dealt a particularly heavy blow to companies in the domestic automotive, steel, and aluminum industries. While Japan has been trying to secure concessions from the Trump administration, the U.S. has refused to grant Japan tariff exemptions, stating that only parts of reciprocal tariffs targeting specific countries are negotiable. Tokura said that the government led by Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba "must strive to eliminate all tariffs as soon as possible," urging the Japanese government to be more relentless in negotiations with the U.S.