Exclusives | Asia

Japan finance minister ‘deeply concerned’ over Trump tariff impact

17 April 2025, 9:45 am
1 min read
Japan's Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato speaks during an interview with Reuters at the Finance Ministry in Tokyo, Japan April 17, 2025. REUTERS/Issei Kato

Japan is “deeply concerned” about global economic fallout from U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs, Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato said on Thursday in the government’s strongest warning yet as the two nations began trade talks.

Why it matters

Some Japanese lawmakers and policymakers have said Japan’s heavy reliance on global free trade heightens the need to convince the U.S. that tariffs are counterproductive, and reach out to other countries for policy coordination.

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