Fri Apr 04 04:03:36 UTC 2025: ## Japan Declares National Crisis Amid Trump-Era Tariffs

**Tokyo, Japan** – Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba declared the US tariffs imposed on Japanese goods a “national crisis” on Friday, prompting cross-party talks to mitigate the economic fallout. The announcement follows President Trump’s imposition of a 24% levy on various Japanese imports and a 25% tariff on auto imports, which came into effect this week.

The tariffs hit Japan hard, despite Japanese firms being the largest investors in the US. The Nikkei 225 index plummeted more than three percent on Friday, following a 2.7% drop the previous day, mirroring the significant downturn on Wall Street.

Prime Minister Ishiba, while calling for calm in negotiations with the Trump administration, has instructed his ministers to explore all available measures to support affected industries and safeguard jobs, including financial aid. He is meeting with opposition party leaders to garner support for a supplementary budget bill aimed at cushioning the economic blow.

Government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi expressed serious concerns about the legality of the tariffs under WTO rules and existing US-Japan trade agreements, reiterating Japan’s demand for a review of these measures. The government is actively working with all political parties to minimize the impact of these “extremely regrettable” tariffs on the Japanese economy.

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