From left: Mary Glass; U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass; Joseph Younger, Performing Deputy Chief of Mission; Eiichi Kawahara, Ambassador Particular Assistant to the Minister for Overseas Affairs; and Victor Osumi of Delta. (Kazuhiro Nogi/Pool Photograph through AP)
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TOKYO — The brand new U.S. ambassador to Japan arrived in Tokyo on April 18 and stated he’s optimistic that his nation and its key Asian ally will attain a deal of their ongoing tariff negotiations.
George Glass, a outstanding businessperson recognized for his background in finance, funding banking and know-how, arrives as Washington and Tokyo are negotiating President Donald Trump’s tariff measures, which have triggered worldwide concern about their influence on the financial system and world commerce.
“I’m extraordinarily optimistic … {that a} deal shall be get performed,” Glass advised reporters after touchdown at Tokyo’s Haneda worldwide airport.
His arrival comes a day after the 2 nations held their first spherical of tariff talks between their prime negotiators in Washington the place either side agreed to attempt to attain an settlement as shortly as potential and maintain a second spherical of conferences later this month.
What higher solution to journey to Mission Tokyo than in Delta’s “Workforce USA” aircraft. Thanks Delta, nice flight! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/pEtHOxE7Ei
— George E Glass (@AmbGEGlass) April 18, 2025
Trump, alongside his prime financial advisers, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, attended the assembly with the Japanese delegation headed by Financial Revitalization Minister Ryosei Akazawa on the White Home.
Together with his repute as a dealmaker being examined, Trump possible needs to finalize a sequence of commerce offers as nations all over the world search to curb damages from the U.S. tariffs.
Trump’s latest announcement of a 90-day pause briefly spared Japan from 24% across-the-board tariffs, however a ten% baseline tariff and a 25% tax on imported vehicles, auto elements, metal and aluminum exports stays in place.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has stated the tariffs would deal a blow to Japan’s financial system and chill Japanese corporations’ funding within the U.S. and that the 2 sides ought to search a settlement that will profit each.
— Fast Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 16, 2025
Trump can be pushing Tokyo to additional enhance its protection spending and shoulder extra burden for internet hosting some 50,000 American troops because the allies strengthen navy cooperation. He introduced up the problem throughout his tariff talks with Japan.
“We sit with Japan in a really robust neighborhood. You will have Russia, you have got China, and you’ve got North Korea,” Glass stated April 18, including that the allies want to ensure their militaries have all of the supplies they want “to push again in opposition to a rustic like China.”
Glass, in his nomination testimony on the Senate Overseas Relations Committee in March, vowed to have “robust conversations” on tariffs and lowering U.S. commerce deficit with Japan and to ensure Tokyo continues additional rising its protection function within the area.
Japan, a long-standing U.S. ally, is among the many first nations that started negotiating tariffs with Washington. Different American allies are carefully watching their talks.
Glass stated he’s assured {that a} deal might be reached as a result of “the most effective and the brightest” officers from each Japan and the U.S. are negotiating and Trump is personally concerned within the talks, calling them his prime precedence.
America’s $40 trillion nationwide debt, he stated, makes the nation “unsustainable and that’s the tip of our financial system if we preserve taking place this street.”
Glass, who assumes his official duties April 21, didn’t elaborate on how he may assist Tokyo and Washington hammer out their variations. After a protracted flight, he stated, “what I’d love to do first is to go house and take a nap.”
