As Tokyo seeks to avert the US' threat to impose tariffs of up to 35 per cent on Japanese goods, Prime Minister Ishiba stressed that Japan, as the biggest investor nation in the US economy, should be treated differently from other countries.

He said Japan could face a tariff of 30 to 35 percent if no deal is made, higher than the 24 percent reciprocal tariff Trump had originally imposed, and then paused, in early April. The tariff pause ends on July 9, though Trump has touted flexibility on the deadline.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Thursday U.S. President Donald Trump's views on some tariff-related issues may be based on misunderstanding or misinformation, as a pause on a 24% reciprocal tariff on imports from Japan expires next week.