With the US government signaling additional tariffs on 60 countries over forced labor concerns, Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Ryosei Akazawa said he received confirmation from US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick that no tariffs exceeding existing US-Japan agreement levels would be imposed.
Akazawa posted on the social networking service X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday that he "held online talks with Secretary Lutnick" and "reaffirmed that the US-Japan agreement remains solid and in effect."
"We shared an understanding that last year's agreement with the United States remains unchanged and that both countries continue to be committed to its implementation," he explained. "We confirmed with the US side that no additional tariffs beyond the 2025 agreement will be imposed on Japan."
This followed the US government's announcement the previous day that it plans to impose additional tariffs of 10% or 12.5% on imports from 60 economies, including South Korea and Japan, that failed to block trade in products made with forced labor.
According to the plan, Japan, like South Korea, belongs to a group of 54 economies subject to the 12.5% additional tariff, having failed both to introduce and to effectively enforce import bans on goods produced with forced labor.
The United States and Japan concluded a trade agreement last year capping the tariff rate at 15%, including existing tariffs. The United States has applied a special provision under which Japanese products with tariffs not exceeding 15% are charged up to 15% only, while no additional tariffs are imposed on goods with tariffs exceeding 15%.
After the US Supreme Court ruled reciprocal tariffs unlawful in February, the Donald Trump administration launched an investigation based on Section 301 of the Trade Act to introduce alternative tariffs. As additional tariffs were signaled on this basis, raising concerns within Japan, Akazawa stepped forward to address the matter.
