In choosing Ryosei Akazawa to be the man in charge of convincing the United States to drop its high tariffs on Japanese goods, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has turned to one of his closest allies and busiest ministers.
But while Akazawa’s loyalty to the prime minister is unquestioned, his largely Japan-focused political experience and diverse range of responsibilities as a Cabinet minister have raised questions about whether he has the ability or the time needed to quickly, but thoroughly and effectively, negotiate with his U.S. counterpart, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
If Akazawa and Bessent were to strike some form of agreement on lifting the tariffs, a direct meeting between Ishiba and U.S. President Donald Trump might then be held to finalize it.
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