Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba: Differences still exist and we will not rush to reach a protocol with the United States.

On June 12, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said that he would not rush to reach a trade deal with the United States that would harm Japan's interests, while an opposition leader said that the prime minister still believes that there are big differences in positions between the two countries. Mr. Ishiba is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 leaders' meeting in Canada on Sunday, but Mr. Ishiba said the timing and date of the bilateral talks had not yet been set. "If progress is made before I meet with the president, that's a good thing in itself," Mr. Ishiba told reporters in Tokyo on Thursday. "But the important thing is to reach an agreement that is beneficial to both Japan and the United States. We will not harm Japan's interests by prioritizing a speedy deal. "The prime minister spoke after discussing the US tariffs with the leader of the opposition party. Speaking to reporters after a closed-door meeting, an opposition leader said Shigeru Ishiba said there were big differences in the positions of the United States and Japan. Mr. Ishiba said he could not say how far the talks had progressed and that there was no timetable for reaching an agreement.