U.S.–Japan Trade Talks Collapse Over Rice Import Dispute

- Tokyo rejected U.S. demands for increased rice imports, halting pivotal negotiations. - Officials decry the proposal as interference in domestic trade policies. Trade negotiations between the U.S. and Japan collapsed when Tokyo rejected a surprise demand to increase U.S. rice imports. Japanese negotiator Ryosei Akazawa then canceled a planned trip to the United States on August 28, 2025. He cited unresolved “points that need to be discussed at the administrative level.” This breakdown follows a contentious demand from the Trump administration to expand rice imports, which reportedly reverses prior agreements. On August 30, 2025, Nikkei reported that the revised U.S. proposal countered an earlier understanding that allowed Japan to maintain existing agricultural tariffs. The new demand drew strong criticism from Japanese officials, with one representative describing the demand as interference in domestic affairs. This tension marks a major setback in talks aimed at boosting bilateral relations through tariff adjustments and investment agreements. A trade pact from July 2025 included Japan’s commitment to increase U.S. rice imports by 75%. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba had emphasized adherence to a tariff-free framework designed to safeguard Japan’s agriculture sector. However, the lack of a finalized written agreement triggered domestic backlash. Opposition leader Yuichiro Tamaki underscored that additional concessions on farm imports require parliamentary approval, which raises concerns about transparency and sovereignty amid the stalled negotiations.