Trump tariffs a ‘national crisis,’ says Japanese premier

By Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) - Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed regret on Friday that US President Donald Trump imposed reciprocal tariffs on Tokyo, warning that such a situation would be a "national crisis" for the country.

Tokyo also sought a phone call with US President Donald Trump, while opposition lawmakers urged Ishiba to travel to Washington to meet with him and resolve the issue.

"It's best that I travel to the United States and hold talks in person" with Trump, Ishiba told reporters, according to Kyodo News.

Regretting the Trump administration had not heeded Tokyo's request for exemption, Ishiba said the crisis requires an "unprecedented" response.

"This is a situation that can be called a national crisis," the premier said.

Ishiba told the parliament that they should determine "the most effective response" to the imposed tariffs.

The prime minister also did not rule out the possibility of taking Washington to the World Trade Organization.

On Wednesday, Trump announced a mix of universal and country-specific tariffs, including a 24% tariff on Japanese products imported to the US.

According to official US data, Washington imported over $140 billion worth of products from Japan last year.