ISTANBUL 

Japan on Tuesday pledged to safeguard its agriculture sector in the face of rising trade pressure from the United States, following remarks by President Donald Trump about imposing higher tariffs on Japanese rice imports.

According to NHK News, the response came after Trump said Japan would be forced to take "our rice," criticizing what he described as unfair trade practices. “They won’t take our RICE, and yet they have a massive rice shortage,” Trump posted on Truth Social, vowing to send an official notice outlining new tariffs. “We love having them as a trading partner,” he added.

Japan is currently experiencing a rice shortage while engaging in ongoing trade negotiations with Washington. The US has already imposed 25% tariffs on Japanese automobile exports, complicating bilateral talks.

Japan’s top trade negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, emphasized that agriculture is the foundation of the nation and must not be compromised. “It is an extremely important task for the government and the ruling coalition to create an environment where farmers feel secure and can continue their work,” he said.

Akazawa acknowledged that both Japanese and US delegations have engaged in “sincere discussions” toward a potential deal, but key differences remain unresolved. He reiterated Japan’s commitment to achieving a mutually beneficial agreement while defending the country’s domestic interests.

Trump's comments echo earlier statements made during a Fox News interview, where he mentioned sending letters outlining new tariff conditions before July 9. The US had temporarily suspended country-specific ad valorem tariff rates in April, a pause that is set to expire next month.