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Ishiba states no talk with Trump on car tariffs at top

Trump recognises Japan's US substantial financial investment, task development

LNG, higgledy-piggledy.xyz steel, AI and automobiles are locations Japan can buy US

Nippon Steel will run under US management, personnel

Japan will not raise defence spending without public support

TOKYO, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed optimism on Sunday that his country could prevent greater U.S. tariffs, addsub.wiki saying President Donald Trump had actually "identified" Japan's huge financial investment in the U.S. and the American jobs that it produces.

At his first White House summit on Friday, Ishiba told public broadcaster NHK, photorum.eclat-mauve.fr he explained to Trump the number of Japanese car manufacturers were developing tasks in the United States.

The 2 did not specifically discuss auto tariffs, Ishiba said, although he said he did not understand whether Japan would be subject to the mutual tariffs that Trump has actually said he plans to trouble imports.

Tokyo has so far got away the trade war Trump released in his very first weeks in workplace. He has actually announced tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China, although he delayed the 25% tasks on his North American neighbours to enable talks.

The intensifying trade tensions considering that Trump returned to the White House on January 20 threaten to burst the global economy.

Ishiba said he believes Trump "identified the truth Japan has been the world's largest investor in the United States for five straight years, and is therefore different from other nations."

"Japan is developing many U.S. jobs. I think (Washington) will not go straight to the concept of higher tariffs," he said.

Ishiba voiced optimism that Japan and the U.S. can prevent a tit-for-tat tariff war, stressing that tariffs must be put in location in a manner that "advantages both sides".

"Any action that makes use of or omits the opposite won't last," Ishiba said. "The concern is whether there is any problem between Japan and the United States that warrants imposing greater tariffs," he included.

Japan had the highest foreign direct financial investment in the United States in 2023 at $783.3 billion, followed by Canada and Germany, oke.zone according to the most current U.S. Commerce Department data.

Trump pushed Ishiba to close Japan's $68.5 billion annual trade surplus with Washington however revealed optimism this might be done rapidly, setiathome.berkeley.edu given a pledge by Ishiba to bring Japanese financial investment in the U.S. to $1 trillion.

On Sunday, Ishiba identified melted natural gas, steel, AI and automobiles as areas that Japanese business might invest in.

He also discussed Trump's promise to take a look at Nippon Steel buying U.S. Steel, instead of purchasing the storied American company - a planned purchase opposed by Trump and blocked by his predecessor, Joe Biden.

"Investment is being made to ensure that it remains an American company. It will continue to operate under American management, with American staff members," Ishiba said. "The crucial point is how to ensure it remains an American company. From President Trump's point of view, this is of utmost importance."

On military spending, another where Trump has pressed allies for boosts, Ishiba said Japan would not increase its defence spending plan without first winning public support. "It is important to guarantee that what is considered necessary is something the taxpayers can comprehend and support," he said. (Reporting by Leika Kihara: Additional reporting by Tim Kelly; Editing by William Mallard)