讀後心得

Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru stated in a program on the 5th that he hopes to have a phone conversation with U.S. President Trump next week to negotiate regarding the new additional tariff measures imposed by the U.S. Reports indicate that the U.S. will impose reciprocal tariffs on other countries, with Japan facing a 24% tax rate. Ishiba emphasized during discussions with party leaders that there are no plans to implement retaliatory tariffs, highlighting Japan's contributions to investment and employment in the U.S. Additionally, Ishiba mentioned that he would consider proposing a new investment plan for the U.S. and hopes to persuade the U.S. side to recognize the benefits of free trade. The representative of the Constitutional Democratic Party called for a clear opposition to the U.S. automobile tariff demands and considered further action.

According to Japanese media reports, Prime Minister 石破茂 stated during a program on the 5th that regarding the new tariff measures imposed by the United States, he hopes to have a phone conversation with the U.S. President next week to express his desire for dialogue. The U.S. President announced that corresponding "discount" tariffs would be imposed based on the tax situations of various countries towards the U.S., with Japan's equivalent tariff reaching as high as 24%.

During the party leader discussions on the 4th, 石破茂 mentioned that he is actively seeking to arrange a call with the President, and that discussions are currently in the coordination stage. When asked if he considered implementing retaliatory tariffs, he stated, "While all options are possible, what kind of economic impact would mutual taxation bring?" He emphasized that Japan remains the largest investor in the United States to this day and ranks high in job creation, which distinguishes Japan's position from those countries that neither invest nor create jobs. He indicated that there will be no back-and-forth responses like a "you say one thing, I say another" interaction.

石破茂 hopes to conduct the phone conversation within the next week and pointed out that the President advocates for the revival of American manufacturing. He will explain Japan's support and contributions to the U.S. with clear logic. He also plans to propose a new investment plan for the U.S. as part of the negotiations.

Regarding the possibility of a Japan-U.S. phone conversation, a representative from the Komeito party expressed hopes that the Prime Minister could persuade the U.S. side to make the benefits of free trade evident. A representative from the Constitutional Democratic Party emphasized that the U.S. tariff demands regarding automobiles have already violated the Japan-U.S. trade agreement, arguing that there should be concentrated discussions in the budget committee on this issue and even raising the necessity of a parliamentary resolution.