Reps. Bera, Meeks Urge President Trump to Provide Tariff Relief to Japan Amidst Escalating Coercion Tactics from the PRC

Today, U.S. Representative Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-06), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific, and U.S. Representative Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, sent a letterto President Trump urging greater support for the United States' close ally Japan in light of the People's Republic of China's (PRC) escalating campaign of economic and military coercion.

The PRC has imposed a series of restrictions that threaten Japan's economic stability and undermine broader strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific. These include import suspensions, tourism restrictions, and canceling of Japanese movie screenings and performances by Japanese artists. Over the weekend, the PRC also used locked radar against Japanese military aircraft-an action consistent with Beijing's pattern of destabilizing provocations in the Taiwan Strait and the South and East China Seas.

In their letter, Representatives Bera and Meeks urge the Administration to provide tariff relief to help offset the economic burden imposed on Japan by these actions. The lawmakers emphasized that such steps would demonstrate America's commitment to Japan and send a strong message that the United States will stand with partners confronting coercive threats.

Read the full letter here and below:

Dear President Trump,

We write to express our deep concern regarding the People's Republic of China's escalating economic and military coercion against Japan following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's November 2025 statements on Japan's security obligations in the event of an attack on Taiwan. Beijing's actions - including import suspensions, tourism and visa restrictions, informal pressure on critical industries, and dangerous military maneuvers near Okinawa - threaten Japan's economic stability and undermine broader security and strategic interests across the Indo-Pacific.

The PRC's economic pressure tactics follow a well-established pattern of coercive behavior against sovereign nations. Beijing has used similar measures before - punishing South Korea following the deployment of the THAAD missile defense system, blocking Lithuanian exports when Vilnius expanded ties with Taipei, and imposing punitive measures against Australia after it called for an independent inquiry into the origins of COVID-19. These actions show a clear willingness from Beijing to weaponize trade, investment, and market access to advance the Chinese Communist Party's political goals, often without transparency or adherence to international norms. Similarly, the use of locked radar against Japanese military aircraft in recent days is consistent with Beijing's destabilizing provocations in the Taiwan Strait and the South and East China Seas.

Japan is one of the United States' closest allies, and the U.S.-Japan alliance remains a cornerstone of our shared commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific. As Tokyo faces targeted retaliation for speaking openly about defending its sovereignty, the United States must respond in a manner that both reinforces our ally and pushes back against the use of PRC economic coercion as a geopolitical weapon.

We urge the Administration to support our ally in the face of PRC coercion and reconsider tariffs on Japan, particularly in sectors directly affected by the coercive actions of the PRC. Relief from such tariffs would provide immediate economic support to key Japanese industries, signal U.S. resolve in standing with our allies from economic coercion, and demonstrate that coordinated action among democracies can blunt the impact of politically motivated trade pressure.

Providing tariff relief to Japan would also send a clear message that the United States rejects the normalization of Beijing's coercive trade tactics and is prepared to back its allies when they are targeted for exercising their sovereign rights. We look forward to working with your Administration to ensure Japan - and all U.S. partners - do not face these challenges alone.

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