Japanese lawmaker compares Trump to ‘delinquent kid’ over tariffs

A Japanese opposition lawmaker has reportedly compared President Donald Trump to a “delinquent kid extorting somebody” amid tense trade negotiations between the U.S. and Japan over sweeping American tariffs.

Shinji Oguma of the Constitutional Democratic Party lambasted Trump’s approach to trade negotiations in a parliamentary committee hearing Friday, two days after Japan and the U.S. launched tariff talks in Washington. “If Japan listens to this and bends the other way in response to the impossible demands of bargaining and deals, it will set a bad example as a customary and historical precedent,” Oguma, as per a translation, warned Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya. He cautioned that concessions would mean “if you get mugged and put money in their hands, they will come back to mug us.”

Calling Trump’s tariff formula “a mess,” Oguma questioned whether it was “safe for a serious person to go there” and negotiate with the U.S. “Consider every option, but you should never make concessions to someone who is not straight up anyway,” he added. “I hope that you will never give in to the American extortionists. I know this is harsh to say, but they are extortionists.”

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has taken a measured approach to negotiations, warning after the initial talks that reaching an agreement could be difficult. “Of course, the negotiations will not be easy going forward, but President Trump has stated that he wants to give top priority to the talks with Japan,” Ishiba said Wednesday following the first round of discussions, which Trump attended alongside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

The U.S. has imposed a 10% baseline tariff on all Japanese imports, plus 25% taxes on cars, auto parts, steel and aluminum. While Trump has paused broader 24% tariffs for 90 days, Japan is considering significant concessions. Local reports say Tokyo may increase soybean and rice imports and relax automobile safety standards — specifically crash test requirements that the U.S. considers a nontariff barrier — as potential bargaining chips.

Japan posted a $63 billion trade surplus with the U.S. last fiscal year, despite running an overall global deficit of $36.5 billion. Trump has prioritized eliminating this imbalance, specifically targeting what he claims are 700% tariffs on rice imports and demanding increased U.S. agricultural and auto exports. The White House displayed a 400-page Office of the U.S. Trade Representative report detailing these alleged market barriers during Wednesday’s talks.

Japan’s cautious approach suggests extended negotiations ahead, with Ishiba vowing to “take the necessary time to create a model for the world.” Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato is expected to meet Bessent on Thursday for further discussions on trade and possible currency issues.