TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Sunday said Tokyo aims to advance tariff talks with the United States, with the goal of achieving an outcome during the Group of Seven summit next month. Japan’s top tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa held a third round of Japan-US talks in Washington on Friday. Speaking to reporters in Kyoto, Ishiba said there has been progress in negotiations, pointing to discussions on trade expansion, non-tariff measures and economic security.

“We will continue to further refine our discussions with the G7 summit in mind,” he said. Ishiba on Friday held a 45 minute phone call with US President Donald Trump to discuss security, diplomacy and tariffs and said they exchanged hope for an in-person meeting at the G7 summit. On Sunday, Ishiba expressed Japan’s willingness to cooperate in shipbuilding. He said the US has shown interest in the possibility of repairing US warships in Japan and that Japan would like to assist.

He said Japan has an advantage in icebreakers, such as those used on Arctic trade routes, which could become an area of cooperation with the US. In Tokyo, Akazawa on Sunday said the schedule for the next Japan-US talks is being arranged and that he hopes to meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during his next visit to the US.

Speaking to reporters at Haneda Airport following his return from Washington, Akazawa said an agreement will be reached only when all elements are settled as a package, meaning that until everything is agreed upon, nothing is agreed upon. “Therefore, I won’t comment on how far we’ve progressed,” he said. – Reuters