Ishiba says won’t forgo Japan’s interests for quick trade deal with Trump
The prime minister said it’s important to achieve an agreement that’s ‘beneficial’ to both sides
“If there’s progress before I meet the president, that’s in and of itself good,” Ishiba told reporters in Tokyo on Thursday. “But what’s important is to achieve an agreement that’s beneficial to both Japan and the US. We will not compromise Japan’s interests by prioritising a quick deal.”
The coming summit gathering in Canada is viewed as a potential moment for Japan and the US to reach some kind of an agreement after two months of back and forths. Failing to get any kind of deal there could worsen Ishiba’s standing ahead of a national election next month as the tariffs threaten to push Japan’s economy into a technical recession.
Ishiba said he cannot say how far the negotiations have progressed, and that he does not have a timeline for when an agreement may come, Maehara said.