New US ambassador to Japan says he's optimistic a tariffs deal can be reached

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TOKYO (AP) — The new U.S. ambassador to Japan arrived in Tokyo on Friday and said he is optimistic that his country and its key Asian ally will reach a deal in their ongoing tariff negotiations.

George Glass, a prominent businessperson known for his background in finance, investment banking and technology, arrives as Washington and Tokyo are negotiating President Donald Trump's tariff measures, which have triggered worldwide concern about their impact on the economy and global trade.

“I'm extremely optimistic ... that a deal will be get done,” Glass told reporters after landing at Tokyo's Haneda international airport.

His arrival comes a day after the two countries held their first round of tariff talks between their top negotiators in Washington where both sides agreed to try to reach an agreement as quickly as possible and hold a second round of meetings later this month.

Trump, alongside his top economic advisers, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, attended the meeting with the Japanese delegation headed by Economic Revitalization Minister Ryosei Akazawa at the White House.

With his reputation as a dealmaker being tested, Trump likely wants to finalize a series of trade deals as countries around the world seek to curb damages from the U.S. tariffs.

Trump's recent announcement of a 90-day pause temporarily spared Japan from 24% across-the-board tariffs, but a 10% baseline tariff and a 25% tax on imported cars, auto parts, steel and aluminum exports remains in place.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has said the tariffs would deal a blow to Japan's economy and chill Japanese companies' investment in the U.S. and that the two sides should seek a settlement that would benefit both.

Trump is also pushing Tokyo to further increase its defense spending and shoulder more burden for hosting some 50,000 American troops as the allies strengthen military cooperation. He brought up the issue during his tariff talks with Japan.

“We sit with Japan in a very tough neighborhood. You have Russia, you have China, and you have North Korea,” Glass said Friday, adding that the allies need to make sure their militaries have all the materials they need “to push back against a country like China.”

Glass, in his nomination testimony at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in March, vowed to have “tough conversations” on tariffs and reducing U.S. trade deficit with Japan and to make sure Tokyo continues further increasing its defense role in the region.

Japan, a longstanding U.S. ally, is among the first countries that began negotiating tariffs with Washington. Other American allies are closely watching their talks.

Glass said he is confident that a deal can be reached because “the best and the brightest” officials from both Japan and the U.S. are negotiating and Trump is personally involved in the talks, calling them his top priority.

America’s $40 trillion national debt, he said, makes the country "unsustainable and that’s the end of our economy if we keep going down this road."

Glass, who starts work Monday, did not elaborate on how he could help Tokyo and Washington hammer out their differences. After a long flight, he said, “what I'd like to do first is to go home and take a nap."