Itsunori Onodera, a heavyweight in Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, described the U.S. tariff situation as 'a real mess.' This came after President Donald Trump raised tariffs in response to a Supreme Court ruling that his previous tariffs were illegal. Onodera ruled out Japan seeking to renegotiate its trade deal with the U.S.
Itsunori Onodera, a former defense minister and current chair of the Liberal Democratic Party's tax research group, commented on U.S. tariffs during a live broadcast on Fuji TV on Sunday. 'To be very frank, it's a real mess,' Onodera said, referring to President Donald Trump's decision to hike levies following a Supreme Court ruling that deemed his previous tariffs illegal.
Onodera dismissed the idea of Japan pursuing a renegotiation of its trade deal with the U.S. He noted that the core of last year's trade negotiations focused on lowering tariffs on autos, which represent Japan's largest export sector and a key source of jobs and investment.
Keywords associated with the story include Itsunori Onodera, U.S., tariffs, U.S.-Japan relations, Japanese economy, Donald Trump, and LDP. The remarks highlight ongoing complexities in bilateral ties amid concerns for Japan's economy. This was reported on February 22, 2026.
