The country’s trade minister stressed its role as a top investor and employer in the United States in a bid to avoid being hit by new levies on metals and cars.

TOKYO - Japan said on March 12 it was “regrettable” that the country had not been granted an exemption from US President Donald Trump’s steel and aluminium tariffs of 25 per cent.

Japan's trade minister said he had asked the United States not to impose trade tariffs on his country, but did not win any assurance that Japan would be exempt, including from a 25% steel and aluminium duty set to start on Wednesday.

The minister, Yoji Muto, is expected to negotiate with U.S. officials ahead of global tariffs that could damage Japanese businesses, including automotive giants.

Japanese trade minister Yoji Muto met with American officials Monday in hopes that exemptions from new tariffs that President Donald Trump plans to levy against some of his nation's imports but has no