Donald Trump's tariff threats and rising tensions between Washington and BRICS countries look set to overshadow this week's meeting of G20 finance chiefs in Durban, South Africa.

Scott Bessent, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, is skipping the G-20 finance summit in South Africa for the second time this year. The weeklong gathering kicked off at the Zimbali resort near Durban Scott’s absence continues a broader boycott by top American officials,

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is arranging to meet U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Tokyo on Friday, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Tuesday, ahead of an August 1 deadline to strike a trade deal with the United States.

The prime minister is understood to be aiming for a path to agreement in the ongoing bilateral tariff negotiations by meeting with the U.S. top negotiator in person.