Tokyo, 18 June

Japan's exports fell in May as shipments of autos to the US dropped nearly 25 per cent from a year earlier due to higher tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.

Exports fell 1.7 per cent year-on-year, which was less than the decline analysts had forecast, the Finance Ministry reported Wednesday. Imports sank 7.7 per cent, reflecting weakening domestic demand and worse than the 2 per cent fall recorded in April.

The trade deficit in May was 637.6 billion yen, or $4.4 billion.

Japan has yet to reach a deal with Trump on resolving the tariffs issue, with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba saying after he met with the US president at the Group of Seven summit in Canada earlier this week that the two sides were unable to agree on some points.

Trump has imposed a 25 per cent additional tariff on Japanese autos and a 24 per cent tariff on other goods. He recently said the auto tariff may become even higher.

Ishiba has emphasised that Japan is an important ally in a key bilateral defense alliance with Washington and that he is pushing to protect his own country's national interests.

The auto industry is a pillar of Japan's economy, and Japan exports more than a million vehicles to the US a year. Tokyo has repeatedly stressed that automakers like Toyota and Honda produce cars in North America, contributing to the economy and creating jobs.