Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Thursday his country needed to wean itself from U.S. dependence in such key areas as security, food and energy, as Tokyo faces the prospect of new U.S. tariffs in three weeks.

Japan is likely to seek a telephone conversation between Akazawa and Bessent before the latter arrives and an in-person meeting during the U.S. official's stay, the Yomiuri reported. It may also seek a meeting between Ishiba and Bessent as well, the newspaper reported.

Anxiety over U.S. tariffs has been spreading across Japan, a central bank report shows, sending a worrying signal about the corporate outlook as trade uncertainty deepens.

US President Donald Trump said he will slightly raise across-the-board tariffs on Japan to 25% starting on Aug. 1, giving Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba an extension that will enable him to try to settle the problem after a national election.

The US sets reciprocal tariffs of 25% for Japan and South Korea. Both countries vowed to accelerate negotiations within three weeks.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Tuesday said US-imposed tariffs on Japanese imports would have an impact on the country, but added that negotiations would continue.

Export price index for vehicles shipped to North America plunged 19.4 per cent from a year earlier in June. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said the latest tariff announcement was "truly regrettable." South Korean leaders vowed to accelerate tariff negotiations with the Trump administration to resolve trade uncertainties.