President Donald Trump is warning Japan that it could face higher tariffs on exports to the United States. His complaint? Trump claims that Japan is refusing to buy American-grown rice, despite having a rice shortage of its own.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “They won’t take our RICE, and yet they have a massive rice shortage.” He added that Japan has long been a trading partner, but hinted that those trade ties may be tested soon. Trump said the United States would be sending Japan a letter about possible new tariffs.
This warning comes just days before the July 9 deadline, when a 90-day pause on Trump’s proposed “reciprocal” tariffs will end. These tariffs would impact dozens of US trading partners, including Japan. Before the pause, Japanese goods were subject to a minimum tariff of 24%. During the pause, the rate was lowered to a universal 10%.
In a recent interview, Trump singled out Japan again, saying, “Dear Mr. Japan, here’s the story: You’re going to pay a 25% tariff on your cars.”
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But Japan Is Buying American Rice
Trump’s claim that Japan won’t buy US rice does not match the trade data. According to the US Census Bureau, Japan bought $298 million worth of rice from the United States in 2023. From January through April of this year alone, Japan has already purchased $114 million in American rice.
There’s no official statement from Japan saying it plans to stop buying US rice. In fact, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi confirmed that trade negotiations with the US are still happening. He said the Japanese government is aware of Trump’s comments but declined to respond directly. “While we refrain from disclosing the specifics of our discussions with the US,” Hayashi said, “Japan will continue to vigorously pursue sincere and honest discussions with the aim of achieving an agreement that will benefit both Japan and the US.”
A 2021 report from the Office of the United States Trade Representative under then-President Joe Biden noted that Japan’s rice import system is “highly regulated and nontransparent”. This has made it hard for US rice exporters to reach Japanese consumers. According to a source familiar with President Trump’s thinking, that report is what he was referring to in his Truth Social post.
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Letters, Tariffs, and Ongoing Talks
The idea of sending letters to foreign countries is part of Trump’s broader trade strategy. Under his “reciprocal” tariff plan, the United States would raise taxes on imports from countries that he believes are not treating US goods fairly. Japan is one of the countries that may soon receive such a letter.
Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council, told reporters that trade talks with Japan are still active. “Nothing is over,” Hassett said. “Even if we get a framework, then there’s still gonna be things to finalize.”
Trump’s tariff warning has added pressure to a complex trade relationship between the US and Japan. While Japan remains a major buyer of US rice, Trump continues to call for changes to the country’s import rules. Whether those changes happen before the tariff pause ends on July 9 remains unclear.