US Maintains Tariff Position in Trade Discussions with Japan, USD/JPY Down 0.16% US Maintains Tariff Position in Trade Discussions with Japan, USD/JPY Down 0.16%

Key Moments:

• US negotiators showed hesitation to ease tariffs on cars and other key assets during Washington talks with Japan.
• Japanese officials reportedly viewed the stance as a sign of potential difficulties in future trade cooperation. Japan outlined plans to reduce its trade surplus with the US, including adjustments to barriers not tied to duties and an intention to increase agricultural imports.
• The USD/JPY fell slightly on Friday, reaching 145.08.

Resolution Elusive in Bilateral Tariff Discussions

During a recent meeting in Washington, US trade officials displayed reluctance to ease existing tariffs on cars, steel, and aluminum, according to a report from the Nikkei newspaper. The talks were held on Thursday, and the Trump administration’s firm stance on the matter reportedly left Japanese counterparts concerned about the prospects of forging closer trade ties.

Japan Presents Measures to Address Trade Surplus

US representatives, among which was Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, introduced a potential framework for a trade agreement in discussions with Ryosei Akazawa, Japan’s lead trade negotiator, and other senior Japanese officials.

As outlined by Nikkei’s anonymous sources, the Japanese delegation presented an overview of initiatives it plans to implement to reduce its significant trade surplus with the United States. These included steps to reassess non-tariff barriers on automobile imports, along with initiatives to expand imports of American agricultural products.

USD/JPY Loses Ground

Having achieved a fresh multi-week peak close to the 146.00 mark earlier on Friday, initially extending its upward trajectory following Thursday’s 1.5% gains, the USD/JPY pair subsequently edged 0.16% lower. The exchange rate is now hovering near the 145.00 level as the US dollar has been put under renewed pressure. This pullback suggests a potential reassessment of market positions after the previous day’s substantial gains.