【Text by Observers Network, Wang Yi】 With less than a week until the deadline set by the US for tariff negotiations, US President Trump has once again escalated trade pressure on Japan, publicly questioning whether a deal can be reached with Japan before July 9 and threatening to raise tariffs on Japan to 30% or 35% if the talks fail.

On July 1st local time, Trump told the media on Air Force One, "I'm not sure we will reach an agreement. I have my doubts; the Japanese are very strong."

Trump once again complained that Japan is not importing enough cars from the US, and even refused to accept a simple request like importing American rice. He said, "They are very unfair in trade, and those days are over."

"So what I'm going to do is, I will write them a letter saying 'We thank you very much, we know you can't do the things we need, so you have to pay 30%, 35%' or any number we decide," Trump added, "because there is also a very large trade deficit between us."

Trump also said he had no intention of extending the July 9th deadline for countries to negotiate trade agreements with the US. The day before, he threatened that some countries would be completely banned from trading with the US if they failed to reach an agreement by that date, "but in most cases, we will determine a number."

On July 1st local time, Trump was interviewed by the media on Air Force One. Video screenshot

The UK's Financial Times noted on the 2nd that Trump's remarks showed he was still willing to take a tough stance in negotiations with trade partners, despite retreating earlier due to severe market turbulence.

The report analyzed that the threat of imposing higher tariffs on Japan would heighten concerns that if officials in the Trump administration fail to reach agreements with countries before the upcoming deadline, Trump may restart a global trade war.

On April 2nd, Trump started a tariff war against almost all of America's trade partners, with tariffs on Japan reaching 24%, including a 10% "minimum base tariff" and a 14% "reciprocal tariff". In addition, Japan faces a 25% tariff on cars and their parts, and 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum.

Soon after, Trump announced a 90-day suspension of tariffs, reducing the rate on Japan to 10%, but this "truce period" is about to expire on July 9th. According to a statement by the US government in April, if Japan does not get an extension, its exported goods will face a total tariff of 24%.

The Nikkei Asia Review believes that Trump's threat to further increase tariffs on Japan to 30%, 35%, or even higher aims to pressure Japan. A White House official revealed on July 2nd that the Trump administration has decided to put the negotiations with Japan on hold and prioritize negotiations with other trade partners, including India. Indian Foreign Minister Sujan Singh recently stated that India and the US are close to reaching an agreement.

Trump also seems optimistic about reaching a deal with India. He said on Air Force One, "This will be a deal we can compete in," "I think India will do it, and if they do, we will reach a significant reduction in tariffs."

Video screenshot of Japanese Minister for Economic Revitalization Akasaka Ryohei

Japanese media noticed that during the seventh round of tariff negotiations in late June, Japanese Minister for Economic Revitalization Akasaka Ryohei did not meet with US Treasury Secretary and trade negotiator Brian Benshoof and returned empty-handed. The Japanese government has consistently demanded full exemption from car tariffs, while the US repeatedly expressed a desire to retain car tariffs and dissatisfaction with Japan's trade deficit, making the negotiations more difficult.

During the negotiations, the Japanese government repeatedly called on the US to fully exempt car tariffs, while stating that it would not sacrifice the interests of domestic farmers in exchange for tariff reductions. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa reiterated on July 1st that he would not disclose specific details of the Japan-US trade negotiations, "but we will not consider sacrificing agriculture in future discussions."

In response to Japan's insistence, Trump posted on Monday, accusing Japan of being spoiled, not allowing American-made cars into the Japanese market, and refusing to commit to buying more American rice.

Bloomberg News analysis pointed out that since this week, Trump has been using Japan as an example to warn other countries to hurry up and negotiate with the US, otherwise they will face high tariffs. Japan's efforts to maintain a stable and friendly negotiation attitude, led by Prime Minister Ishiba, have been tested by Trump's pressure. The Japanese government has been seeking tariff exemptions for its key automotive industry and other sectors, but with Trump pursuing quick trade victories, this careful approach may backfire.

"I love Japan. I really like the new prime minister," Trump said, "but they and others have been spoiled, taking advantage of us for 30 or 40 years, so it's hard to reach an agreement."

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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7522298538399842859/

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