Ishiba states no talk with Trump on car tariffs at top

Trump acknowledges Japan's US huge financial investment, task production

LNG, morphomics.science steel, AI and automobiles are areas Japan can invest in US

Nippon Steel will operate under US management, personnel

Japan will not raise defence costs without public assistance

TOKYO, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed optimism on Sunday that his country might prevent greater U.S. tariffs, stating President Donald Trump had actually "acknowledged" Japan's huge investment in the U.S. and the American tasks that it creates.

At his very first White House top on Friday, Ishiba informed public broadcaster NHK, he explained to Trump the number of Japanese car manufacturers were producing tasks in the United States.

The 2 did not specifically talk about automobile tariffs, Ishiba said, bphomesteading.com although he said he did not know whether Japan would be subject to the mutual tariffs that Trump has said he prepares to enforce on imports.

Tokyo has up until now left the trade war Trump unleashed in his first weeks in workplace. He has actually revealed tariffs on items from Canada, Mexico and classifieds.ocala-news.com China, although he postponed the 25% duties on his North American neighbours to permit for talks.

The intensifying trade stress because Trump went back to the White House on January 20 threaten to rupture the international economy.

Ishiba said he believes Trump "acknowledged the fact Japan has actually been the world's biggest financier in the United States for 5 straight years, and is therefore various from other nations."

"Japan is developing numerous U.S. tasks. I believe (Washington) won't go straight to the concept of greater tariffs," he said.

Ishiba voiced optimism that Japan and the U.S. can avoid a tit-for-tat tariff war, worrying that tariffs ought to be put in place in a method that "advantages both sides".

"Any action that makes use of or omits the other side won't last," Ishiba said. "The concern is whether there is any problem between Japan and the United States that requires enforcing greater tariffs," he added.

Japan had the highest foreign direct financial investment in the United States in 2023 at $783.3 billion, followed by Canada and Germany, ratemywifey.com according to the most current U.S. Commerce Department information.

Trump pressed Ishiba to close Japan's $68.5 billion annual trade surplus with Washington but expressed optimism this might be done rapidly, given a guarantee by Ishiba to bring Japanese investment in the U.S. to $1 trillion.

On Sunday, Ishiba identified melted natural gas, steel, AI and automobiles as locations that Japanese business might buy.

He also discussed Trump's guarantee to look at Nippon Steel purchasing U.S. Steel, rather than purchasing the storied American business - a prepared purchase opposed by Trump and blocked by his predecessor, Joe Biden.

"Investment is being made to make sure that it remains an American company. It will continue to run under American management, with American staff members," Ishiba said. "The key point is how to ensure it remains an American company. From President Trump's point of view, this is of utmost significance."

On military spending, another location where Trump has pressed allies for increases, Ishiba said Japan would not increase its defence spending plan without first winning public support. "It is vital to make sure that what is considered required is something the taxpayers can comprehend and support," he said. (Reporting by Leika Kihara: Additional reporting by Tim Kelly; Editing by William Mallard)