Japan Forms Tariff Taskforce as Calls Rise for Relief Measures

Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba created a taskforce to deal with the fallout from US tariffs as pressure mounts to boost aid to households ahead of a summer election.

The taskforce, led by top trade representative Ryosei Akazawa and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, is the latest step in Ishiba’s efforts to tackle the barrage of US tariffs that he says has caused a national crisis. While the scope and the content of the negotiations remain unsettled, early remarks from the two sides indicate they are likely to include cars, agricultural products, non-tariff barriers and foreign exchange.