(VOVWORLD) - Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Friday that he spoke with US President Donald Trump on the phone and agreed to hold “productive" discussions at an upcoming tariff talk between the two sides.
The call was proposed by President Trump and lasted 45 minutes.
"Similar to our previous discussions, I once again requested that the US review its tariff measures towards Japan. Our stance hasn't changed and it is "investment, not tariffs". Instead of erecting trade barriers, we should further our cooperation to promote investment and generate more jobs for Americans," Ishiba said at a press conference afterwards.
The two leaders’ discussions took place just after Japan's top trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa left for Washington for a third round of tariff talks with his US counterparts on Saturday. The Trump administration’s tariff is set to hit Japan the same day.
According to Japanese media, Japan’s position in the upcoming negotiation is to keep pushing Washington to drop all recent tariff measures and expand investment in the US, in the hope of reaching an agreement that would meet both countries’ national interests.