Japan

The other direction

What America sells to Japan

$81.4B in 2025 — a trade rupture cuts both ways, for American producers as well as American prices.

Policy in motion

Tariff status: a moving target

U.S. tariff policy toward Japan has changed 8 times since 2025. This page tracks it.

1. 2026-02-24

   IEEPA reciprocal tariffs terminated — replaced by 10% Section 122

   In effect

   Executive Order 14389 (Ending Certain Tariff Actions) terminated the IEEPA tariff duties effective February 24, 2026, replacing Japan's 15% reciprocal rate with a 10% Section 122 temporary import surcharge (Proclamation 11012). Japan's Section 232 auto tariff (15%) and steel/aluminum duties (50%) rest on separate authority and remain in force.

   91 FR 9437 →

2. 2025-09-16

   EO 14345 implements the agreement — autos cut to 15%

   In effect

   Executive Order 14345 implemented the tariff elements of the U.S.-Japan agreement: autos and auto parts were lowered to a combined 15% (from 27.5%), and a reciprocal stacking rule tops imports up to 15% where the MFN rate is lower. HTS changes took effect September 16, 2025.

   Federal Register · 2025-17389 →

3. 2025-08-07

   15% reciprocal rate takes effect for Japan

   In effect

   Executive Order 14326 set the post-pause Annex I reciprocal rates; Japan's rate was set at 15% effective for goods entered on or after August 7, 2025, replacing the suspended 24%/10% structure.

   90 FR 37963 →

4. 2025-07-22

   U.S.-Japan framework agreement announced

   Agreement

   The U.S. and Japan announced a framework trade agreement setting a 15% reciprocal tariff on most Japanese goods and cutting the auto and auto-parts tariff to 15%, paired with a Japanese pledge to invest $550 billion in the United States.

   Source ↗

5. 2025-06-04

   Section 232 steel and aluminum doubled to 50%

   In effect

   A program-wide proclamation raised the Section 232 steel and aluminum tariff to 50% for all countries except the UK. Japan received no carve-out, so its metals rate moved from 25% to 50%.

   Federal Register · 2025-10524 →

6. 2025-04-10

   Elevated reciprocal rates paused to 10% for 90 days

   In effect

   Executive Order 14266 suspended the higher country-specific reciprocal rates — including Japan's 24% — back to the 10% baseline for 90 days to allow negotiations, while raising the rate on China.

   90 FR 15625 →

7. 2025-04-05

   Reciprocal tariff regime begins — Japan assigned 24%

   In effect

   Executive Order 14257 imposed a 10% universal reciprocal duty effective April 5 and a higher country-specific rate of 24% for Japan scheduled to take effect April 9 under Annex I.

   90 FR 15041 →

8. 2025-03-12

   Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs reimposed on Japan at 25%

   In effect

   Proclamations terminated Japan's prior alternative steel arrangement (Proclamation 10356) and subjected Japanese steel, aluminum, and their derivatives to the 25% Section 232 tariff applied to most countries.

   Federal Register · 2025-02833 →

Reference

The country itself

East N Southeast Asia · Geography, people, economy, and government — public-domain data from the CIA World Factbook.

In 1603, after decades of civil warfare, the Tokugawa shogunate (a military-led, dynastic government) ushered in a long period of relative political stability and isolation from foreign influence. For more than two centuries, this policy enabled Japan to enjoy a flowering of its indigenous culture. Japan opened its ports after signing the Treaty of Kanagawa with the US in 1854 and began to intensively modernize and industrialize. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional power that was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia. It occupied Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island. In 1931-32, Japan occupied Manchuria, and in 1937, it launched a full-scale invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 1941, triggering America's entry into World War II, and Japan soon occupied much of East and Southeast Asia. After its defeat in World War II, the country recovered to become an economic power and a US ally. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, elected politicians hold the decision-making power. After three decades of unprecedented growth, Japan's economy experienced a major slowdown starting in the 1990s, but the country remains an economic power. In 2011, Japan's strongest-ever earthquake and an accompanying tsunami devastated the northeast part of Honshu, killed thousands, and damaged several nuclear power plants. ABE Shinzo was reelected as prime minister in 2012, and he embarked on ambitious economic and security reforms to improve Japan's economy and bolster the country's international standing. In 2019, ABE became Japan's longest-serving post-war prime minister; he resigned in 2020 and was succeeded by SUGA Yoshihide. KISHIDA Fumio became prime minister in 2021.