Japan’s finance minister, Katsunobu Kato, expressed deep concern over US President Donald Trump’s new ‘reciprocal’ tariffs. He warned these measures could disrupt global trade and financial markets, threatening Japan’s fragile economic recovery. In a statement to Reuters, Kato highlighted the impact of tariffs on diverse industries and heightened uncertainty. This marked the strongest warning from Tokyo since Trump first announced tariffs in April. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s chief negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, met with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday but was surprised by Trump’s unexpected visit. Kato will travel to Washington next week for the International Monetary Fund and Group of 20 meetings, where he will also meet with Bessent separately. He emphasized the need for stable exchange rates and stressed the dangers of market volatility. Kato stated that tariffs pose a risk to Japan’s economy and expressed concern over potential yen manipulation by the US government. While Japan seeks to avoid engaging in tariff talks, the yen has experienced movement due to Trump’s actions. Akazawa assured reporters that Japan would only intervene if there is speculation about currency movements but wouldn’t engage in market manipulations. Analysts predict a renewed focus on the yen during next week’s Kato-Bessent meeting as traders anticipate market reactions. Meanwhile, the US government could potentially target the Bank of Japan for influencing its policies, which has kept interest rates near record lows to combat deflation.