Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and U.S. President Donald Trump could meet in Canada on Monday on the sidelines of the Group of Seven leaders’ summit, a Japanese government source said.
Progress in ongoing bilateral tariff talks will be in focus at their second face-to-face meeting since Trump returned to the White House in January. The two have spoken by phone multiple times ahead of the meeting.
The leaders are expected to follow up on recent ministerial-level talks aimed at concluding what Ishiba has called a “mutually beneficial” deal following the imposition of higher import tariffs by the United States.
Before leaving Japan, Ishiba told reporters that he would make “maximum efforts” toward that goal.
Tokyo has been calling for Washington to shift its focus to boosting investment and jobs in the world’s largest economy, rather than imposing tariffs to reduce the massive U.S. trade deficit with Japan.
Asked about the prospect of reaching agreements, Trump told reporters in Washington prior to his departure for the summit in Kananaskis that he expects a “few new trade deals.” He did not specify which countries he had in mind.
The higher U.S. tariffs, including a 25 percent levy on cars, have dealt a blow to the Japanese economy, with exports a major driver of growth.
While a 24 percent “reciprocal” tariff has been put on hold, Japanese products are subject to a 10 percent baseline levy. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, a negotiator in the bilateral talks, has said the deadline could be extended for trade partners that engage in negotiations in “good faith.”
Ishiba and Trump, who in their previous meeting in February agreed to aim for a “golden age” in Japan-U.S. relations, are also likely to discuss the deepening of the countries’ long-standing security alliance, amid China’s stepped-up military activities, and North Korea’s nuclear weapon and missile development programs.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (L) holds talks with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington on Feb. 7, 2025. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
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AloJapan.com