U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference with Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the White House on Feb. 7, 2025, in Washington. © AP
_Peter Coy is a freelance writer specializing in economics and business. He previously wrote for The New York Times opinion section and Bloomberg Businessweek magazine._
When U.S. President Donald Trump proclaimed that he wanted reciprocity in tariffs, it seemed to bode well for Japanese automakers. Since Japan charges no tariff at all on cars imported from the U.S., Trump would have to cut U.S. tariffs on Japanese cars to achieve his objective. Trump had said he would announce tariffs on major trading partners on April 2, which he styled "Liberation Day."