Japan tariff negotiator rules out quick U.S. deal despite push by Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is in a hurry to strike a deal in tariff negotiations with Japan, Japanese economic revitalization minister Ryosei Akazawa said Friday after returning from a U.S. trip earlier in the day.

Akazawa, Japan's top tariff negotiator, traveled to the United States earlier this week to hold the first Japan-U.S. negotiations on Trump's tariffs, with the president announcing just hours ahead of the talks that he would also take part in the meeting.

Trump's attendance was "a sign that (the United States) wants to speed up the negotiations," Akazawa told a news conference.

But Akazawa emphasized that despite the president's hopes, any agreement would likely take some time.

"We're not going to make a quick deal," Akazawa said. "It's difficult to say how long it will take to bridge the gap (between the two sides)."

The Japanese government is considering easing domestic regulations in the automobile sector, which Trump has criticized as "non-tariff barriers" to the sales of U.S. cars in the country, with an eye toward using such a move as a bargaining chip in the negotiations, the Asahi Shimbun daily reported Saturday, citing unidentified government sources.

The United States has rolled out a series of tariffs since early March targeting almost all imports from almost all countries. Cars and steel from Japan are now dutied 25%, and all other goods, with a few notable exceptions, 10%.

In July, higher rates could kick in if the United States is not satisfied with the progress being made in talks, with Japan set to be hit by 24% "reciprocal tariffs" that were briefly put into effect on April 9. Tariffs on auto parts are already scheduled to begin in early May.

Later Friday, Akazawa's boss, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, ordered the government to accelerate preparations for the next round of ministerial-level negotiations.

"I gave instructions to speed up consideration and coordination so that concrete progress can be made" at the next round of talks, which is being arranged for "later this month," Ishiba told reporters after meeting with Akazawa.

Akazawa's meeting with U.S. officials in Washington this week had "an outcome that will lead to the next step," Ishiba noted. The prime minister also reiterated his intention to implement domestic measures in response to the tariffs, such as financial support.

Akasawa, speaking to reporters upon his arrival at Tokyo's Haneda Airport earlier Friday, said that he had "said what must be said from the Japanese side, including that the U.S. tariff measures are deeply regrettable and that we are strongly seeking a review of the measures."

"I will thoroughly consider what is best for our country's interests and what is most effective, and work on this with priority and utmost effort," he stressed.