Second round of U.S.-Japan tariff talks ends inconclusively in Washington

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick (far left), U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (left) and Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's chief tariff negotiator. The second round of tariff negotiations between Japan and the United States were held on Thursday in Washington. | AFP-JIJI

by FRANCIS TANG
May 2, 2025

The second round of tariff talks between the United States and Japan ended with no major breakthroughs and came as Japan signaled that negotiations remain at the preliminary stages.

"We have not yet reached a point where common ground has been found," Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told reporters in Tokyo on Friday morning after being briefed about the meeting.

Much was left off the table altogether, and actual deliverables went largely unmentioned by participants.