- Will not set a deadline in negotiating with US on trade
- And that includes the 1 August date set currently
- There is no point in striking a deal with the US without agreement on tariffs on autos
- Japan has already put all the necessary issues on the table
- Autos are a key sector that is core to Japan's economy
- Will not sacrifice agriculture sector for sake of trade deal with the US
Akazawa continues to talk a tough game for the time being. However, the pressure is going to ramp up as tariffs against Japan will increase to 25% after 1 August. With a deal still not in sight, we'll have to see where the can will be kicked down the road next following that.
