Japan's chief tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa reiterated during a meeting with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Thursday that higher import duties imposed by Washington should be reconsidered, as the countries continue negotiations toward a win-win deal.

Akazawa is visiting the U.S. capital for the third straight week for another round of tariff talks at the ministerial level, hoping to smooth the way for a meeting of the countries' leaders in mid-June.

Before his planned talks with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Friday, Akazawa sat down with Lutnick for nearly two hours to "strongly" urge the United States to reconsider the wave of tariff measures announced by President Donald Trump, according to the Japanese government.

Akazawa and Lutnick discussed cooperation on trade, nontariff barriers and economic security, the Japanese side said.

While continuing to demand the elimination of the higher tariffs, Japan is also weighing whether to accept a cut in the rates, with the United States resisting a full removal of the duties.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Trump plan to hold a meeting around the time of the three-day Group of Seven summit in Canada starting June 15.

After meeting with Bessent and Lutnick last week, Akazawa said they had agreed their talks were "making progress."

Akazawa, who is scheduled to leave Washington on Saturday, has declined to provide details, including in which areas progress has been made.

Under Trump's so-called reciprocal tariff regime, announced April 2, almost all countries in the world have been hit by a baseline duty of 10 percent, with Japan facing an additional country-specific tariff of 14 percent for a total rate of 24 percent.

Along with other countries, Japan has also been affected by the Trump administration's additional 25 percent tariff on automobiles and other sector-based levies implemented on national security grounds.

Source: Kyodo News

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