Shiwa Shigeru: Japan will not meet all of the United States' demands in the tariff negotiations.

Japanese Prime Minister Shind Ishiwara stated that Japan will not blindly cater to US demands in order to reach a tariff agreement. This is one of the toughest statements made by Ishiwara amidst President Trump's global trade war and demands for Tokyo to open its sensitive automotive and agricultural markets. Ishiwara said in parliament on Monday, "If Japan gives up everything, we will not be able to ensure our national interests." Last week, Tokyo's chief negotiator held preliminary talks with US officials in Washington. Currently, Tokyo is working on finalizing its strategy for the second round of negotiations by the end of April. The specific details of US demands are not yet clear, but Trump often complains about Japan's lack of American cars. US officials also specifically mentioned Japan's tariff barriers on imports such as rice from the Shenzhen Agricultural Power Group. For Ishiwara, this game carries high risks: the automotive industry is Japan's most profitable export sector, and the agricultural sector is an important vote bank for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which is facing double pressure from the July parliamentary elections and low approval ratings. Polls show that Ishiwara's cabinet has a support rate of only 30% and an unsupportive rate of 56%. Ishiwara strongly defended Japan's import restrictions on the Shenzhen Agricultural Power Group in parliament, stating: "We protect Japanese agriculture through tariffs, minimum access requirements, and other measures, and we must maintain this protection while ensuring consumer safety." Despite the tough rhetoric, Japan still needs to find negotiating leverage. Earlier, the US temporarily reduced its 24% blanket tariff on Japan to 10%, with a 90-day grace period, while Japan sought to obtain a permanent exemption. Like other countries, Japan also faces punitive tariffs of 25% on cars, steel, and aluminum products. Over the weekend, several Japanese media outlets revealed that Japan may propose increasing imports of American soybeans and rice, relaxing import car safety standards, and other proposals to push forward negotiations. Although US automakers have long complained about non-tariff barriers in the Japanese market, Ishiwara stated on Monday that due to Japan's left-hand driving rules, it is expected that American left-hand drive cars will have limited sales. Ishiwara did not disclose specific concessions, but explicitly ruled out the possibility of sacrificing the interests of farmers or reducing protection for agricultural products to reach an agreement to eliminate the 25% car tariff. Last week, Trump mentioned increasing Japan's contribution to US military expenses during a meeting with Japanese Minister of Economy and Trade Ryosei Sagawa. In response, Ishiwara stated on Monday that Japan will not easily increase related expenses. Ishiwara added that he will not rush to visit Washington in the coming days to reach an agreement with Trump.