Agency. Us President Donald Trump has accused Japan of not buying rice from the UNITED States and has threatened to impose high tariffs on goods imported from it. He wrote on social media, “They do not take our rice, but they lack rice. So we will send them a letter. We have long loved Japan as a trading partner. ”

However, Trump’s claim that Japan does not take American rice is not true. According to trade data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Japan bought rice worth $298 million from the U.S. last year alone. Between January and April this year, Japan bought rice worth $114 million.

However, there is no official indication that Japan will not buy American rice in the coming days. “We cannot disclose the details of the talks with the United States, but Japan will continue to hold honest and frank talks that benefit both countries,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Tuesday. ”

A 2021 report by the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office said Japan’s rice import system was highly controlled and opaque, preventing U.S. exporters from reaching Japanese consumers. According to a source close to Trump, he made this post referring to this issue.

Trump recently plans to send a letter to some countries warning them about import duties. In an interview with Fox News, he said, “Dear Japan, now the thing is like this: your car will now have a 25% customs duty. ”