Japan is preparing a strategic offer to the United States centered on rare earth elements and liquefied natural gas, aiming to secure relief from steep U.S. tariffs amid growing trade frictions with China.
Japan plans to present a cooperation package focused on rare earth minerals and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the United States during ongoing tariff negotiations, Nikkei Asia reported on Thursday. The proposal is aimed at strengthening supply chains disrupted by escalating tensions between Washington and Beijing.
China, a dominant player in the global rare earth market, has recently imposed export restrictions on seven critical minerals and halted LNG imports from the United States. Tokyo hopes that by supporting the U.S. in managing these disruptions, it can obtain concessions on American tariff measures.
Japan’s Economic Revitalization Minister Ryosei Akazawa, who is leading the country’s negotiations, departed for Washington on Thursday for a fifth round of talks over President Donald Trump’s trade policies. According to Jiji Press, this is Akazawa’s third consecutive weekly trip to the U.S., underscoring the urgency of the discussions.
“We'll continue to strongly urge the United States to review the series of tariff measures,” Akazawa said before leaving Tokyo. His current four-day visit comes ahead of a possible meeting between Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and President Trump at the G7 summit in Canada in mid-June.
Japan has repeatedly called on the U.S. to remove its 25% tariff on car imports. Although a 24% retaliatory tariff by Japan has been temporarily suspended, the U.S. continues to apply a 10% baseline tariff along with additional duties on steel and aluminum.
Akazawa noted that details regarding meetings during this round of negotiations were still being finalized, but the priority remains clear: advancing discussions to avoid long-term damage to bilateral trade and supply chain stability.
Read next
22:00
Investor
Global investors remained wary on Friday after a closely watched phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping failed to deliver concrete progress on trade. Chinese markets reflected the cautious sentiment, with modest declines across key indices.
21:30
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan secured a place at the FIFA World Cup for the first time in their history, earning a landmark qualification following a 0-0 draw with the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
21:00
Germany
Germany will increase its military personnel by up to 60,000 troops as part of efforts to meet new NATO force and readiness targets, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced Friday, citing the country’s responsibility as Europe's largest economy.
20:30
National Day
Azerbaijan marked its National Day at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, with a cultural celebration that highlighted the country’s heritage, innovation, and growing global partnerships. The event took place at Azerbaijan’s national pavilion, which has become one of the most visited at the exhibition since
20:00
UK
British Finance Minister Rachel Reeves is preparing to unveil a high-stakes, multi-year public spending review on June 11 that will allocate over £2 trillion ($2.7 trillion) and shape the Labour government’s ambitions through the rest of its term.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment