ANKARA

Japan's top tariff negotiator spoke twice on the phone in a single day with the US commerce secretary amid stalled trade talks, local media reported on Sunday.

Ryosei Akazawa and the US’ Howard Lutnick spoke on Saturday for about 15 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening, according to the Kyodo News Agency.

A day earlier Akazawa also met with Lutnick in Washington as the two countries tried to reach a deal to bridge remaining differences over President Donald Trump's hefty tariffs on foreign-made cars and auto parts.

Akazawa arrived in Washington on Thursday for a seventh round of ministerial talks on tariffs with US officials. He was expected to return home on Saturday, but extended his stay in Washington to meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

The Japanese government said they will continue to work "strenuously" with Washington towards an agreement.

During the ongoing negotiations, Japan has prioritized reducing the impact of the Trump administration's April decision to raise tariffs on imported automobiles, but Trump and his team have given no indication of reversing or easing these sector-specific tariffs, including those on steel and aluminum, according to the agency.

Japan exported 16.2 trillion yen ($112 billion) worth of vehicles globally in 2024, with 5.9 trillion yen ($39 billion) going to the US, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity.

Japan has repeatedly called for the removal of the US’ 25% import duty on cars. Although a planned 24% reciprocal tariff was paused, Washington still imposed a 10% baseline tariff along with additional duties on steel and aluminum.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid