S/ Ishiba Shigeru, Prime Minister / It's about discussing how to create more jobs in the United States and how that can also be beneficial to Japan. I have no intention to pay tit for tat by imposing retaliatory tariffs.

Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru made the remarks on a Yomiuri TV news program on April 5.

He was commenting on US President Donald Trump's recent decision to impose 24 percent reciprocal tariffs on imports from Japan.

Ishiba said he wants to speak with Trump on the phone at an early time and emphasized the need to talk logically about what positive effects Japan's actions can have on the United States.

On the domestic front, asked if he intends to dissolve the House of Representatives in the event a motion of no-confidence against his Cabinet is passed in parliament, he said he does not know what the future holds.

On the same day, Ishiba visited the site of the Osaka Expo that will open on April 13 to see how the final test run inviting members of the general public is going.

He also saw the Future City Pavilion and other areas of the World Exposition.

The prime minister said the expo will surely showcase Japan's new image to the world.