Implementation of Regional Business Dialogue Sessions on US Tariff Measures
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will implement business dialogue sessions in three regions nationwide in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the National Tax Agency, aiming to address impacts on domestic industries from US tariff measures and create success stories. This initiative is based on the Japan-US agreement on US tariff measures reached on July 22, 2025, following the Prime Minister's directive for concentrated regional and industry explanations during August.
Implementation Schedule and Participation Framework
The dialogue sessions will be conducted in three phases. The first phase involves a meeting for the Chubu block in Gifu Prefecture on August 22 (Friday), the second phase covers the Kinki block in Hyogo Prefecture on August 25 (Monday), and the third phase addresses the Kyushu-Okinawa block in Nagasaki Prefecture on August 28 (Thursday). Each meeting will include senior officials from regional bureaus of economy, trade and industry, representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the National Tax Agency, along with regional economic organizations and relevant business operators.
Content of Dialogue and Continuous Initiatives
The dialogue sessions will conduct detailed hearings on the specific impact realities of US tariff measures and the response status of various business operators. Particular emphasis will be placed on discovering and horizontally deploying success stories that lead to new business opportunity creation and competitiveness enhancement triggered by the tariff measures. The government will advance consideration of support measures tailored to regional characteristics, taking into account differences in industrial structures and export dependency across regions.
Policy Positioning and Future Development
These dialogue sessions are positioned not as one-time briefings but as starting points for continuous policy dialogue. From September onward, dialogue sessions will be sequentially implemented in other regions under inter-ministerial cooperation to achieve nationwide impact assessment and policy refinement. Additionally, METI is strengthening information provision and consultation systems for business operators through the "US Tariff Countermeasures One-Stop Portal." Through these initiatives, the government aims to achieve policy transformation from adaptation to US tariff measures toward further competitiveness enhancement.