Japan to consider all options over US auto tariffs: Ishiba

On the same day, Tokyo again asked Washington to exempt Japan from the auto tariffs.

When Kiyomi Tsujimoto, executive deputy president of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, at a parliamentary committee meeting Thursday, urged the government to take measures against the US move, Ishiba said, "We are considering all possible responses."

At the same time, Ishiba suggested that the government plans to carefully assess the situation, saying, "We have to think about what will best serve Japan's national interests."

He also said, "Japan has made considerable investments in the United States, created a lot of jobs and paid the highest wages."

"We've been saying whether the tariffs (on all countries) should be the same," the prime minister said, adding, "The president's understanding of that has advanced considerably."

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a press conference Thursday that the latest US measure was "extremely regrettable.

" He said the prime minister told relevant ministers to scrutinize its impact on domestic industries and jobs and take all possible measures, including financial support.

Meanwhile, Itsunori Onodera, policy chief at the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, held talks with Joseph Young, charge d'affaires ad interim at the US Embassy in Tokyo, at the LDP headquarters.

The US auto tariffs "will have a major impact on the Japanese economy," Onodera said to Young, asking the US side to start negotiations with the Japanese government on the matter.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]

Photo by Reuters