Trump to Attend Japan Tariff and Defense Cost Talks Directly... Will It Be a 'Reference Book' for Korea?

High-level Talks Between Two Countries in the U.S. Today

Possibility of a Package Deal Including U.S. Forces in Japan

Attention on Whether to Attend 'Talks with Korea' Next Week

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he would directly attend the high-level tariff negotiations between the U.S. and Japan on the 16th. The issue of 'military support costs,' which seems to be linked to the U.S. Forces stationed in Japan, was also specified as one of the agenda items for this negotiation. Japan has many similarities with Korea, such as a similar trade surplus with the U.S. and the presence of U.S. troops, so the outcome of the negotiations could provide implications for Korea.

Trump to Attend Japan Tariff and Defense Cost Talks Directly... Will It Be a 'Reference Book' for Korea? President Trump stated in a post on his social media, Truth Social, that "Japan is coming (to the U.S.) today to negotiate tariffs, military support costs, and 'trade fairness,'" and that he would "attend the meeting with the Treasury and Commerce Secretaries." He added, "I hope something good (very good!) comes out for both Japan and the U.S."

The tariff ministers of the U.S. and Japan will meet in the U.S. today to begin full-scale negotiations. According to Reuters, from the U.S. side, Treasury Secretary Scott Besant and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Representative Jamison Greer are expected to attend, while from the Japanese side, Economic Revitalization Minister Ryosei Akazawa will attend. Sensitive issues such as Japan's participation in U.S. Alaska oil and natural gas projects and currency issues may also be addressed, Reuters reported.

President Trump's potential attendance at the meeting was not clearly known beforehand, drawing attention to his willingness to participate in the negotiations. There is interest in whether he will directly participate in negotiations with Korea next week.

Japan has responded by separating trade and defense, but with President Trump mentioning military support costs as an agenda item, there is speculation that a 'package deal' combining tariffs and defense costs may be pursued. Minister Akazawa told reporters before departure that "Japan aims to persuade the U.S. that a win-win relationship can be established even without tariffs through a promise to expand investment in the U.S."

The Trump administration set the reciprocal tariff rate imposed on Japan at 24% when announcing reciprocal tariffs earlier this month. Kurt Tong, head of the U.S. consulting firm Asia Group, said, "The U.S. is taking a stance of not using a stick against Japan, but Japan has no choice but to offer a lot of 'carrots' in return," and evaluated that "it will feel like economic pressure using tariffs as a weapon for Japan."

Reporter Han Gyeong-je hankyung@hankyung.com