Japan may or may not be able to reach a trade agreement with the United States by the end of July

According to BlockBeats, on May 16th, Japan has sent a signal to prepare for a better agreement with US President Donald Trump on trade tariffs, rather than risking domestic political backlash to reach a deal. Japan is eager to avoid any deterioration in its relationship with Washington, and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba initially prioritized entering the US negotiating table before other countries. But officials and analysts say that business leaders and members of Shigeru Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party have demanded that he reject any agreement that endangers the automotive industry or threatens domestic farmers, forcing him to reconsider. Although Japan is very eager to become the first country to negotiate tariffs with Washington, this sense of urgency has now shifted, with the focus on ensuring that Japan gets a good deal, "said a Japanese official. Officials have stated that it is currently unlikely to reach an agreement before the Japanese Senate elections. The Japanese Senate elections will be held at the end of July, which is expected to be a major test for the highly unpopular Shigeru Ishiba government. (Financial Times)