President Donald Trump on Monday set a 25% tax on goods imported from Japan and South Korea, as well as new tariff rates on a dozen other countries.

Donald Trump's insistence that "spoiled" Japan imports more US rice is adding to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's problems ahead of elections that could sink his premiership after less than a year in office.

Trump shared screenshots of letters detailing new tariff rates for over a dozen countries, allowing room for further negotiations before the renewed deadline of Aug. 1.

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He was aware about President Donald Trump’s frustration over the imbalance in US-Japan trade relations and offered to boost Japan’s cumulative investment in the United States to $1 trillion. It was more than a symbolic move as Japan is already the biggest foreign investor in the US,

While South Korean imports to the U.S. face 25% tariffs, the same as Trump promised in April, the rate on Japan has been raised by 1 percentage point to 25%.

There is a goods trade deficit with Japan because the U.S. imports more than it exports, which Trump views as a sign of unfairness in the trading arrangements. In 2024, federal trade data shows the U.S. goods trade deficit with Japan was $68.5 billion.

Donald Trump has shared the letters he sent to 14 countries including Japan detailing the levies they face and people have spotted 'appalling' errors.

The pause on the biggest of Trump's tariffs won't end this week, but the president continues to pledge steep new duties against major countries.