Japan vows to take decisive action as the U.S. imposes a 25% tariff on automobile imports. With autos making up 28.3% of Japan’s exports to the U.S., the move could hit its economy hard. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba says Tokyo is considering "all options" in response.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Thursday Tokyo will put "all options on the table" in dealing with Washington's announcement to impose a 25% tariff on automobile imports.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday unveiled a 25% tariff on imported cars and light trucks starting next week, widening the global trade war he kicked off upon regaining the White House this year.
"Japan is a country that is making the largest amount of investment to the United States, so we wonder if it makes sense for (Washington) to apply uniform tariffs to all countries. That is a point we've been making and will continue to do so," Ishiba told parliament.
"We need to consider what's best for Japan's national interest. We're putting all options on the table in considering the most effective response," Ishiba said, without elaborating on the possible steps Tokyo may take.
Analysts say the move could deal a heavy blow on Japan's economy given its reliance on auto exports to the United States.
Shares in Japanese auto makers fell sharply in early trade on Thursday.
Automobiles made up 28.3% of Japan's total exports to the United States in 2024, the biggest ratio among all items, according to Ministry of Finance data.
The auto industry makes up roughly 3% of Japan's gross domestic product (GDP) and has been the driver of recent wage hikes, as automakers distribute the huge profits they reaped overseas to their employees.
Takahide Kiuchi, executive economist at Nomura Research Institute (NRI), expects an 25% increase in U.S. auto tariffs to push down Japan's GDP by around 0.2%.
"The Trump tariff has the potential to immediately push Japan's economy into deterioration," he said.
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As the Ukraine war is highlighted by some leaders during the United Nations' 81st General Assembly meeting in New York, Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early on Thursday with ballistic missiles, killing two people and injuring six, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in New York on Wednesday, as Washington pushes for an end to the war in Ukraine and Kyiv and Moscow continue to strike energy infrastructure.
U.S. President Donald Trump said his team held a three-hour meeting with an Iranian delegation in New York that he described as “very good” and “productive”, with another round of talks scheduled soon.
The 81st UN General Assembly continues in New York on Wednesday, with another day of high-level speeches and diplomatic meetings. The wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, global security and international cooperation remain at the centre of discussions.
As the Ukraine war is highlighted by some leaders during the United Nations' 81st General Assembly meeting in New York, Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early on Thursday with ballistic missiles, killing two people and injuring six, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
The 81st UN General Assembly returns for its third day in New York on Thursday, with world leaders delivering high-level speeches and holding diplomatic meetings. Restoring trust, managing global transformation, peace and security, and international cooperation remain at the centre of discussions.
Australia says an OpenAI AI agent gained unauthorised access to a government Medicare statistics portal in June, in what officials say could be an unprecedented case of an AI system breaching a government network.
Pakistan says it carried out air strikes on 10 locations in Afghanistan on Thursday, targeting sites it said were used to store and launch drones, as tensions between the two neighbouring countries continued to escalate.
Here’s your AnewZ Daily Brief for 24 September 2026, with five key developments from the second day of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
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