Japan Picks Economy Minister Akazawa to Tackle Trade Talks with the U.S.

Japan’s government has chosen Economy Minister Ryosei Akazawa to lead trade talks with the United States, a decision confirmed by the country’s top spokesperson on Tuesday. This comes as Japan prepares for some tough conversations with the U.S. about tariffs. With Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba calling the shots, Akazawa’s appointment shows Japan is ready to dive into these big economic challenges.

Akazawa, who knows his way around economic issues, will be sitting across the table from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, picked by President Donald Trump to handle the American side. The two countries decided to kick off these talks after Ishiba and Trump chatted over the phone on Monday, agreeing to sort out their trade disagreements. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi made it clear that anything about exchange rates will stay between Japan’s finance minister and the U.S. treasury secretary, keeping that separate from the tariff discussions.

These talks are happening at a tricky time, with Trump’s team pushing hard on tariffs that could hit Japanese goods heading to the U.S. During a press conference on Tuesday, Akazawa pointed out that the U.S. choosing Bessent as a key player hints at where their focus might lie. Some experts think the U.S. could push Japan to tweak the yen’s value against the dollar, which might help American exports while giving Japan a break on pricey imports, something that could shake up the Bank of Japan’s plans on interest rates.

Ishiba’s also thinking about hopping over to the U.S. to meet Trump in person, depending on how these early talks go, Hayashi added. With Akazawa leading the charge, Japan’s hoping to protect its economic interests in what promises to be a complicated negotiation. The results could shift how these two longtime allies trade with each other, affecting businesses and people on both sides. For now, everyone’s watching Akazawa as he takes on this big responsibility.