Japan’s Trade Minister, Yoji Muto, is planning a trip to the United States in March to request that the Trump administration exempt Japan from upcoming tariffs on steel and automobiles, according to a report by the Asahi newspaper on Thursday.
Muto is reportedly arranging meetings with newly appointed U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and other senior officials. Discussions will also cover Japan’s plans to increase purchases of American natural gas and the stalled acquisition of U.S. Steel by Nippon Steel.
He aims to visit before March 12, when the 25% tariffs on U.S. imports of steel and aluminum are set to take effect. However, the exact timing of the trip remains uncertain and will depend on Japan’s parliamentary budget deliberations, Asahi cited multiple unnamed government sources as saying.
Japan Inc. will be right behind him!