MUNICH: Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya urged his US counterpart, Marco Rubio, to exempt Japan from President Donald Trump’s planned 25 per cent tariffs on steel, aluminium, and reciprocal duties during a brief exchange at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.
Japan’s Foreign Ministry said Iwaya and Rubio agreed to maintain close communication on economic ties.
Iwaya also “lodged a claim” against the tariffs and questioned Rubio about auto tariffs expected by April 2.
The US is Japan’s key trading partner, with Japan running an 8.64 trillion yen (US$57 billion) surplus last year, driven by exports of cars and electronics. – BERNAMA
