Facing rising public pressure and an uphill election battle, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has sharpened his rhetoric against the United States in response to President Donald Trump’s surprise tariff announcement. Speaking at a campaign rally in Chiba Prefecture on July 9, Ishiba declared, “This is a battle for national interests. We will not be disrespected,” signaling a rare public rebuke of Japan’s closest ally.
The escalation comes after Trump announced on July 7 that a 25-percent “reciprocal tariff” on all Japanese products would take effect August 1. The announcement, delivered via his social media platform, blindsided Tokyo just weeks ahead of Japan’s July 20 Upper House elections. Ishiba had previously hoped to broker a resolution on the tariffs—particularly those targeting the automobile sector—before the campaign period began, but negotiations have stalled.
Ishiba’s remarks mark a departure from the traditionally cautious tone Japanese leaders use when addressing U.S. relations. On July 10, in a televised interview, he reinforced his stance, saying, “We will not be underestimated.” Prominent figures within his ruling Liberal Democratic Party have echoed this sentiment. LDP Policy Research Council Chair Itsunori Onodera criticized the Trump administration’s handling of the announcement as “very disrespectful to an ally.”
With his coalition already facing an uncertain electoral outcome, Ishiba’s tougher tone is seen as a strategic pivot to demonstrate leadership in protecting Japan’s economic interests. Meanwhile, opposition leaders are criticizing the administration for failing to make meaningful progress in negotiations. Some opposition figures have raised concerns over the strength of U.S.-Japan diplomatic ties, questioning whether a stable working relationship still exists between the two countries.
