On Trump tariffs, Japan's Ishiba shifts focus from exemptions to trade rules

Prime minister questions whether duties infringe on WTO agreements

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Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba holds a news conference on April 7 after a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump. (Photo by Sae Kamae)

HIROSHI ASAHINA

TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has adjusted his message on U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policies, moving from requesting exemptions to voicing concerns about the tariffs' consistency with trade rules and their effects on the ability of Japan to invest in American manufacturing.

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