Photo/Illutration The National Diet building (Takeshi Iwashita)

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba made clear Japan should be treated differently from other countries and said there would be no easy compromise in tariff negotiations with the United States.

He was speaking on a Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK) discussion program on July 6, where opposition leaders called on the government to accelerate talks with Washington and prepare for the worst. 

As the largest investor in the United States, Ishiba said Japan has created more jobs than any other trading partner.

“We will engage in negotiations, fully aware that Japan is in a different position than other countries,” he said.

Ishiba, president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, dismissed an easy concession as an option, emphasizing that Japan’s national interest is at stake.

Trade negotiations are naturally time-consuming and tough, he added.

The program hosted 10 ruling and opposition party leaders to hear their views on issues ahead of the July 20 Upper House election.

The United States has been negotiating tariffs with Japan and other trading partners after pausing part of the so-called reciprocal tariffs until a July 9 deadline.

Ryosei Akazawa, minister in charge of economic revitalization, spoke with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick over the phone on July 3 and 5 for a total of 100 minutes.

Yoshihiko Noda, president of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, urged Ishiba to speak directly with President Donald Trump over the phone to extend the deadline for tariff negotiations.

“There is a chance of a breakthrough if the two leaders talk,” said Noda, a former prime minister.

Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the Democratic Party for the People (DPP), called on the government to prepare to expand domestic demand in case negotiations fail and steep tariffs are imposed.

Tetsuo Saito, leader of junior coalition partner Komeito, said the government will assess a range of factors, including the impact of U.S. tariffs on the automotive industry, and consider additional economic measures.

Taro Yamamoto, leader of Reiwa Shinsengumi, called on the government to do whatever is necessary to ensure rice is excluded from tariff negotiations.

Sohei Kamiya, leader of Sanseito, urged Japan to fall into line with the United States on nontariff issues as Trump has called for a shift from a decarbonization policy and opposed programs to promote diversity, equity and inclusion.

Social security reform is one of the key issues in the Upper House election.

Hirofumi Yoshimura, representative of Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party), said the party will make all-out efforts to lower social insurance premiums paid by the public.

He also called for a review of health insurance coverage.

In this regard, the DPP’s Tamaki called for raising the out-of-pocket health expenses for some elderly people, saying it is important to shift from the age-based payment to the principle of ability to pay.

However, Tomoko Tamura, leader of the Japanese Communist Party, said the foundations of healthcare and nursing care are at risk of collapsing. She called for the budgets of both services to be increased and protected.

Mizuho Fukushima, leader of the Social Democratic Party, called for a tax on companies’ internal reserves to slash social insurance premium payments by half.

Naoki Hyakuta, leader of the Conservative Party of Japan, urged tax cuts to stoke economic growth and support the working-age population.

Speaking about the coalition framework after the Upper House election, Ishiba said the LDP-Komeito alliance will remain the base although the ultimate form will depend on the election outcome.

“We must make clear what we aim to accomplish, rather than (focusing on) which party we will work with,” Ishiba said.

Noda urged the opposition parties to join forces and display their strengths.

(This article was written by Anri Takahashi and Yuki Minami.)

Related News