Japan Sets Up 1,000 Business Consulting Centers, Anticipating Trump Tariff Hike

TOKYO, TUESDAY – The Japanese government is preparing 1,000 business consultation centers to assist entrepreneurs in the country affected by the tariff increases imposed by the United States.

Nevertheless, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stated in Tokyo on Tuesday (1/4/2025) that he would continue to advocate for Japan to be exempted from the new regulations implemented by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Japan is one of the strategic allies and important trading partners of the US. Japanese companies are investors in the US, including in the automotive sector. In Japan, one out of every ten jobs is related to the automotive sector.

Previously, President Trump planned to announce specifically which products and from which countries would have their tariffs increased, on Wednesday (2/4/2025). He reminded that all trading partners would be his targets.

Trump also emphasized that starting April 3, 2025, a 25 percent tax will be imposed on all automotive products manufactured outside the U.S.

PM Ishiba remains tight-lipped when asked about retaliatory measures against the import tariffs to be imposed by the US. He only explained that steps to respond to Trump's policy would be discussed with his government coalition partners.

PM Ishiba stated that Trump's move to raise tax tariffs is difficult to comprehend after the US announced the imposition of a 25 percent tax on car and automotive parts imports.

So far, in addition to providing 1,000 business consultation centers, Ishiba has promised to take all necessary steps to help Japanese Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) after the new US tariffs come into effect.

"Japan is the largest investor in the United States. On this basis, we will fight for an exemption from the new U.S. tariffs on imported products," Ishiba said at a press conference.

He added that if he felt it was necessary to visit the US immediately, he would do so to protect the Japanese economy.

Last Friday, PM Ishiba said Trump's move to raise tax rates was difficult to understand after the US announced it would impose a 25 percent tax on imports of cars and auto parts.

Ishiba in front of the Japanese Parliament (Diet) also expressed his surprise at Trump's statement that there are friends and enemies, but friends are more difficult to deal with.

China – Japan – South Korea Joint Response

From Beijing, CCTV Television broadcast news, China, Japan, and South Korea agreed to provide a joint response to the tariffs imposed by the US. The information from CCTV was conveyed after the three East Asian industrial countries held their first economic dialogue in five years, Sunday (30/3/2025) in Seoul, South Korea.

Japanese Trade and Industry Minister Yoji Muti, South Korean Trade and Energy Minister Ahn Duk-geun, and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao are trying to find a way out of the regional economic shock of President Trump's new tariffs.

In the Japan Times report, (30/3/2025), they agreed to accelerate negotiations on a three-country free trade agreement (FTA), which began in 2012. China, Japan, and South Korea hope to realize free, fair, comprehensive, quality, and mutually beneficial trade.

When the country is a major trading partner of the US. However, territorial and border disputes often become a stumbling block in China-Japan-South Korea relations. In addition, the issue of nuclear waste disposal in Fukushima, Japan, has also become a stumbling block in relations with China and South Korea.

In talks in Seoul, Japan and South Korea are trying to increase imports of raw materials for making semiconductors from China. In Yuyuan Tantian's Weibo account, China is also said to be interested in buying chips from Japan and South Korea.

The three East Asian countries agreed to strengthen industrial supply chain cooperation and strengthen dialogue on export regulation.

However, when asked by reporters about the CCTV report, a spokesman for South Korea's Trade Ministry said that the joint move to address US tariffs was an exaggeration. He also asked reporters to refer to the joint statement from the meeting in Seoul on Sunday.

At Sunday's meeting, the main points agreed were the acceleration of the Tri-Country Free Trade Area and efforts to champion regional and global trade.

"The three countries exchanged views on the global trade climate as conveyed in a joint statement after the meeting. They shared understanding on the importance of continuing economic and trade cooperation," said a spokesman for the South Korean Trade Ministry.

Japan's Foreign Ministry has yet to respond to journalists' questions about the information conveyed by China's CCTV TV station.

The meeting of China, Japan and South Korea trade ministers came days before the US imposed new tariffs on Wednesday. Trump called the day the tariffs went into effect a day of liberation for the US economy and industrial independence.

Since President Trump launched a trade war against China in 2017, he has been dubbed Jian Guo Dong Zhi - the Friend of China's Development Advancing Country.

The nickname was given by the Chinese people because Donald Trump's steps to restrain China actually encouraged domestic independence and various innovations, including in chip technology and various industrial sectors. (AFP/Reuters)