U.S. President Donald Trump has continued his strong criticism of Japan for the third day in a row, threatening to raise tariffs on Japanese goods up to 35%. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday, Trump said that negotiations with Japan were not going well and suggested he might end the talks altogether.
“We’ve dealt with Japan. I’m not sure we’ll make a deal. They’re very tough and very spoiled,” Trump said.
Trump has made similar remarks since Sunday, starting with an interview on Fox News, followed by a post on Truth Social, and now directly to reporters. He complained that Japan buys very little American rice and few American cars. He warned that if a deal is not reached, he could impose high tariffs on Japanese products.
“If we can’t get what we want, I’ll just write a letter thanking them and then set tariffs at 30% or 35% or whatever we decide,” Trump said.
Currently, Japanese vehicles and auto parts face a 25% U.S. tariff, and steel and aluminum face a 50% tariff. Most other Japanese goods face a 10% tariff, which could increase to 24% if no deal is reached by July 9.
Trump added that doing business in the U.S. is an “honor” for foreign countries and claimed previous administrations had not treated it that way.
Earlier this year, Japan’s top trade negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, met Trump in the Oval Office wearing a red “Make America Great Again” cap. At that time, the U.S. said Japan was on a fast-track for a deal.
However, the most recent round of talks last Friday in Washington ended with no progress. Akazawa met with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick for 65 minutes, followed by two short phone calls, but returned to Tokyo empty-handed. That’s when Trump began his public criticism of Japan.
Japanese officials have chosen to remain silent in response. Akazawa and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiko Aoki have both declined to comment. According to Japan’s TV Asahi, Akazawa might return to Washington this weekend for another round of talks.
Observers say Trump’s harsh words show frustration and are likely a tactic to pressure Japan into making trade concessions. However, experts in Japan advise caution and suggest dragging out the talks rather than making big compromises.
Ryo Sahashi, a professor at the University of Tokyo, said the U.S. seems stuck in talks with many countries, not just Japan. “Japan looks like it’s doing nothing — and that’s okay. It’s better to take time than rush into a bad deal,” he said.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is leading the talks for the U.S., told Fox News that a deal with Japan may take time. He emphasized that the goal is to make trade fairer for Americans, and the U.S. won’t sign any deal that doesn’t meet that standard.
So far, the U.S. has only finalized a deal with the U.K., which has a trade deficit with the U.S. Talks with China have seen little progress, despite public claims of success.
Japanese economist Takahide Kiuchi from Nomura Research Institute said that even though Trump is threatening higher tariffs, it’s unlikely he will act on them suddenly. Japan has not responded with threats or retaliatory measures, making it harder for the U.S. to justify taking a harsh approach.
“Japan is seen as a cooperative partner, and market forces may prevent the U.S. from going too far,” Kiuchi wrote in a report.
Professor Sahashi added that while the trade talks aren’t collapsing, Japan’s early hopes of a quick and favorable deal are fading. Now, the focus seems to be on keeping the talks from falling apart altogether.
“Japan’s approach is to keep things calm and avoid drama,” he said. “You don’t just walk away from trade talks — that’s not how Japan does things.”
