Controversy over U.S. Tariffs as Political Parties Express Their Concerns
Japanese Officials Discuss Tariff Issue with U.S. in Closed-Door Meetings
In a series of closed-door meetings held on August 15th in Tokyo, senior members of the budget committees of both Diet chambers gathered to discuss the ongoing tariff issue between Japan and the United States. Among the attendees was Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's economic revitalization minister and the country's chief negotiator in tariff talks with the United States.
The meetings were a continuation of the discussions on the tariff issue that started in August. Akazawa expressed uncertainty about the timing of the tariff revision, and the participants questioned when the United States will revise its tariffs to reflect its agreement with Japan.
The meetings took place in response to the U.S. government implementing different tariffs than what was announced by the Japanese side. The current status of tariff negotiations between the two countries is that a reciprocal tariff agreement has been implemented, setting Japan's tariff rate at 15% on all products as of August 7, 2025. This follows a bilateral trade agreement announced earlier in 2025, which includes Japan's commitment to invest $550 billion in the U.S. and aims to reduce tariffs on Japanese imports to the baseline 15% rate. Despite the implementation, some details remain unresolved with further negotiations expected in areas such as Section 232 tariffs and investment commitments.
Jun Azumi, chairman of the House of Representatives' Budget Committee, spoke at a press conference following the meetings. He expressed concerns about U.S. tariffs and instructed the ruling and opposition parties to consider a budget committee meeting with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba regarding the tariff issue. However, as of August 2025, no confirmed or scheduled meeting with Prime Minister Ishiba regarding tariffs or trade was reported in the available sources.
The expected budget committee meeting with Prime Minister Ishiba is set to take place in the Diet, Japan's national diet. The meeting's exact date has not been announced yet. The meetings, including the one with Prime Minister Ishiba, are expected to be attended by the ruling and opposition parties.
[1] [Source 1] [2] [Source 2] [3] [Source 3] [4] [Source 4] [5] [Source 5]
- During the budget committee meeting in the Diet, photographs may capture the tense discussions about the ongoing tariff issue between Japan and the United States.
- Amidst the unfolding tariff policy-and-legislation, the general news has been filled with reports of the political maneuvering between both countries, shedding light on the complexity of international trade agreements.
