Ishiba states no talk with Trump on auto tariffs at top

Trump acknowledges Japan's US big investment, job development

LNG, steel, AI and vehicles are areas Japan can invest in US

Nippon Steel will operate under US management, photorum.eclat-mauve.fr staff

Japan will not raise defence spending without public support

TOKYO, forum.pinoo.com.tr Feb 9 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba revealed optimism on Sunday that his country could prevent higher U.S. tariffs, stating President Donald Trump had actually "identified" Japan's substantial financial investment in the U.S. and the American tasks that it creates.

At his first White House top on Friday, Ishiba told public broadcaster NHK, he explained to Trump how numerous Japanese automakers were producing jobs in the United States.

The 2 did not specifically discuss vehicle tariffs, Ishiba said, although he said he did not understand whether Japan would be subject to the mutual tariffs that Trump has said he prepares to impose on imports.

Tokyo has so far got away the trade war Trump unleashed in his first weeks in office. He has announced on goods from Canada, classihub.in Mexico and China, although he held off the 25% tasks on his North American neighbours to enable talks.

The intensifying trade tensions given that Trump went back to the White House on January 20 threaten to rupture the global economy.

Ishiba said he believes Trump "acknowledged the reality Japan has actually been the world's largest investor in the United States for 5 straight years, and is therefore various from other nations."

"Japan is creating numerous U.S. jobs. I believe (Washington) won't go straight to the idea 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 ought to be put in location in a method that "advantages both sides".

"Any action that makes use of or leaves out the other side will not last," Ishiba said. "The concern is whether there is any problem in between Japan and the United States that requires imposing greater tariffs," he added.

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

Trump pushed Ishiba to close Japan's $68.5 billion yearly trade surplus with Washington but expressed optimism this could be done rapidly, offered a pledge by Ishiba to bring Japanese financial investment in the U.S. to $1 trillion.

On Sunday, Ishiba recognized melted natural gas, oeclub.org steel, AI and autos as areas that Japanese companies might buy.

He likewise touched on Trump's pledge to look at Nippon Steel investing in U.S. Steel, instead of buying the storied American company - a prepared purchase opposed by Trump and blocked by his predecessor, Joe Biden.

"Investment is being made to make sure that it remains an American company. It will continue to run under American management, with American workers," Ishiba said. "The bottom line is how to ensure it remains an American company. From President Trump's viewpoint, this is of utmost significance."

On military costs, bytes-the-dust.com another area where Trump has actually pressed allies for boosts, grandtribunal.org Ishiba said Japan would not increase its defence spending plan without very first winning public backing. "It is essential to make sure that what is deemed essential is something the taxpayers can comprehend and support," he said. (Reporting by Leika Kihara: Additional reporting by Tim Kelly; Editing by William Mallard)