Japan to oppose Trump pressure to join anti-China trade bloc
Tokyo to prioritise its own economic ties with Beijing as it persuades the neighbour to resume imports of seafood from Japan
The officials, who asked not to be identified, said that Japan is pushing to strike a deal before the current 90-day reprieve in tariffs expires, with one person saying the country hopes to finalise an agreement around the summit of leaders from the Group of Seven major democracies in June.
At the same time, the officials said Japan does not want to get caught up in any US effort to maximise trade pressure on China by curbing its own economic interaction with Beijing, which is Tokyo’s biggest trading partner and an important source of goods and raw materials.
Although the US has not made any specific requests to Japan regarding China, Tokyo would prioritise its own interests if that occurs, Japanese officials said. One of the officials added that Japan has conveyed to China on multiple occasions that it does not fully align with the US on chip-related exports and semiconductor restrictions.
Japan’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.