Press Conferences

Sankei Shimbun, NAGAHARA: Today marks the fourth anniversary of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. I apologize for overlapping with a question I asked last week, but I would like to ask for your thoughts on the war continuing even after four years. Secondly, while then-Prime Minister KISHIDA visited Ukraine at the outset of the war, no Prime Minister has made a visit since former Prime Minister ISHIBA. How do you view the necessity of visiting Ukraine again in order to demonstrate Japan’s solidarity with Ukraine?

Foreign Minister MOTEGI Toshimitsu: It is deeply concerning and regrettable that peace has yet to be achieved in Ukraine, even after four full years since Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is an outrageous act that undermines the very foundation of the international order, and Japan cannot condone such attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force anywhere in the world. Japan’s position remains unchanged. Realizing a just and lasting peace in Ukraine as soon as possible is essential, and this issue was also discussed at the recent G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held on the margins of the Munich Security Conference.

While a possible visit to Ukraine by the Prime Minister or myself is not currently scheduled, Japan intends to enhance communication at various levels regarding the current situation in Ukraine and the way forward, in order to ensure that Japan makes the utmost contribution to Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction through public-private efforts.

Kyodo News, ONDA: I would like to ask about the U.S. tariff policy. On February 21, President Trump of the U.S. indicated on his social media that the new 10% tariff on all countries worldwide, including Japan, which was announced on February 20, would be raised to 15%. Since the Supreme Court ruled that reciprocal tariffs and other tariffs are illegal, uncertainty has increased with the tariff rate being revised within a single day. I would like to ask for your views on this.

Foreign Minister MOTEGI: Last week, on February 20, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the U.S. reciprocal tariffs and other tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) are unlawful and invalid.

In response, the U.S. Government released a presidential proclamation stating that an across-the-board 10% tariff would be imposed on all countries effective today, February 24. Subsequently, President Trump announced that, although no specific timing has been set, this rate would be raised from 10% to 15%.

Last evening, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry AKAZAWA held an online meeting with Secretary of Commerce Lutnick of the U.S. and requested that, as the U.S. government implements new tariff measures, Japan not be treated less favorably than under the Japan-U.S. agreement reached last year.

I have also been briefed that Minister AKAZAWA and Secretary Lutnick reaffirmed the two countries’ intention to continue implementing last year’s Japan-U.S. agreement faithfully and swiftly.

Japan will carefully review the details of the recent ruling and its potential impact, while continuing to closely monitor, with great interest, related developments, including the U.S. Government’s responses, as well as any impact on the Japan-U.S. agreement. If necessary, we will reach out to the U.S. side accordingly.