Ishiba states no talk with Trump on at top

Trump identifies Japan's US huge financial investment, job creation

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

Nippon Steel will operate under US management, personnel

Japan will not raise defence costs without public support

TOKYO, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba revealed optimism on Sunday that his country might prevent greater U.S. tariffs, saying President Donald Trump had actually "acknowledged" Japan's substantial financial investment in the U.S. and gratisafhalen.be the American tasks that it produces.

At his first White House summit on Friday, Ishiba informed public broadcaster NHK, he explained to Trump the number of Japanese car manufacturers were creating tasks in the United States.

The two did not particularly go over auto tariffs, Ishiba said, although he said he did not know whether Japan would be subject to the mutual tariffs that Trump has said he prepares to enforce on imports.

Tokyo has so far left the trade war Trump unleashed in his first weeks in workplace. He has actually announced tariffs on products from Canada, Mexico and China, although he postponed the 25% duties on his North American neighbours to enable talks.

The escalating trade stress considering that Trump went back to the White House on January 20 threaten to rupture the worldwide economy.

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

"Japan is developing lots of U.S. tasks. I believe (Washington) will not go straight to the idea of greater 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 "benefits both sides".

"Any action that exploits or omits the opposite will not last," Ishiba said. "The question is whether there is any issue in between Japan and the United States that necessitates imposing higher tariffs," he added.

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

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

On Sunday, Ishiba identified melted natural gas, steel, AI and autos as locations that Japanese business might buy.

He likewise touched on Trump's pledge to look at Nippon Steel investing in 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 make sure that it remains an American business. It will continue to run under American management, with American employees," Ishiba said. "The bottom line is how to ensure it remains an American business. From President Trump's perspective, this is of utmost significance."

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