U.S. President Donald Trump has once again issued a tariff threat against Japan, citing the country’s refusal to open its market to American rice exports. Trump delivered the strong message on Monday (June 30, 2025), just one week before the July 9 deadline, which marks the end of a suspension period on high tariffs for dozens of U.S. trading partners, including Japan.

Trump accused Japan of being uncooperative despite facing a rice supply shortage. “They’re rejecting our rice, even though they’re running low. So, we’ll just send them a letter. Nevertheless, we still respect the trade partnership we’ve built over time,” Trump posted on social media, as reported by Bloomberg on Tuesday (July 1, 2025).

Over the past few weeks, Trump has consistently applied pressure tactics ahead of the tariff deadline. He has frequently threatened to walk away from negotiations and unilaterally issue tariff orders to countries that refuse to compromise. Back in April, Trump temporarily halted tariff implementations by country, granting a 90-day window to facilitate new trade deals. So far, only two agreements have been announced—with China and the United Kingdom.

Meanwhile, Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council, said several additional trade deals would be revealed after the Fourth of July holiday. He emphasized that the administration is currently focused on finalizing major legislation related to taxation and government spending.

“After a short break to watch some fireworks, we’ll be back at work and begin rolling out agreements. We’ll meet with the President to present the results and wait for the green light,” Hassett told Fox Business.

Regarding Trump’s warning to Japan, Hassett clarified that negotiations are still in progress. “The talks aren’t over. I know what he just wrote, but discussions with Japan are continuing right up to the last minute,” he said.

Trump’s use of tariff threats has proven effective in pushing trading partners to become more flexible. Just last week, he declared that all trade discussions with Canada would be halted in response to their digital services tax. However, after Ottawa withdrew the tax, Hassett confirmed that talks with Canada had made significant progress.

Japan, as one of America’s top trading partners, remains on the list of countries seen as likely to reach a deal rather than face immediate tariffs. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick previously noted that around 10 trade agreements are expected to be finalized, while the rest of the countries would receive formal tariff notices.

Nevertheless, sensitive issues such as tariff rates and bilateral trade barriers between the U.S. and Japan remain unresolved, despite months of negotiations. Tokyo has urged the U.S. to eliminate the 25% tariff on Japanese car exports, arguing that it burdens the nation’s automotive industry. But Trump rejected the request, citing Japan’s limited imports of American-made vehicles.

Currently, Japan is subject to a general tariff of 24% on its exports to the U.S., which has been temporarily reduced to 10% during the negotiation period. On another front, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed that the U.S. is close to sealing deals with India and several other nations as the tariff suspension period draws to a close.

Trump is scheduled to meet with his trade team later this week to determine which countries will once again face high tariffs. “The President will impose tariffs on countries that are unwilling to negotiate in good faith,” Leavitt affirmed.