Ishiba discusses tariff fallout with leaders of Malaysia, France

Amid the ongoing tit-for-tat over tariffs between the United States and China, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba of Japan discussed Wednesday with his counterparts in Malaysia and France how to address the possible blow to the global economy and multilateral trade.

Ahead of its next tariff talks with the United States, the Japanese government cited Ishiba as saying he hopes to pay attention to the voices of Southeast Asian countries in a phone call with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

According to the government, Ishiba had detailed discussions with Anwar and French President Emmanuel Macron on a variety of economic topics, including the effects of U.S. tariffs and China’s retaliatory actions.

Ishiba also stressed the significance of maintaining a free and open international order founded on the rule of law, which is in line with U.S. President Donald Trump’s commitment to uphold his protectionist “America First” stance, the government said.

Trump has increased import duties on steel, aluminum, and automobiles. He has specifically targeted China, imposing a 145 percent tax, and Beijing has responded by raising its own tariffs on the US.

The leaders of Britain, Singapore, and Malaysia—all parties to a trans-Pacific free trade agreement that went into effect following the US withdrawal during Trump’s first term as president—have all spoken with Ishiba over the phone in the last week.

In the run-up to the launch of ministerial tariff talks with the United States on Wednesday, Ishiba said Japan must consider its relationship with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations when seeking to advance bilateral cooperation with the United States.

Many Japanese companies — including exporters, a key driver of economic growth — do business in Southeast Asia.