Gearoid Reidy, Columnist

If Japan Can’t Get a Good Trade Deal, Can Anyone?

Talks between Tokyo and the Trump administration are about to get underway — and the world should be watching.

April 15, 2025 at 8:00 PM UTC

Gearoid Reidy is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Japan and the Koreas. He previously led the breaking news team in North Asia, and was the Tokyo deputy bureau chief.

The stakes are high in the trade war, not just for Japan.
Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg

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Japanese officials are heading to Washington for tariff talks, and the stakes are high — not just for Tokyo, but for the world.

The Asian nation is the canary in the tariff coal mine. If it can’t secure a good deal, there’s little hope for others.