Japan seeks US tariff talks during Bessent visit, Yomiuri reports

TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan is seeking talks between tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent when the U.S. official visits Japan for the World Expo next week, Yomiuri newspaper reported on Thursday citing Japanese government sources.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has said Japan would continue tariff negotiations with the U.S. to reach a mutually beneficial deal after U.S. President Donald Trump raised tariffs on Japanese imports to 25% starting August 1.

Japan aims to host the first ministerial-level tariff talks with the U.S. in Japan ahead of a new negotiation deadline of August 1, the Yomiuri reported.

Japan and the U.S. previously held ministerial tariff talks seven times in Washington.

Bessent is scheduled to attend the U.S. "National Day" event on July 19 at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, western Japan, with the U.S. delegation.

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.

Ishiba has instructed Akazawa to focus on tariff negotiations even during the campaign period for an upper house election on July 20, Yomiuri reported.

(Reporting by Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Christopher Cushing)