Japan may not be able to reach a trade deal with the United States by the end of July

Japan has signalled it is ready to strike a better deal with US President Donald Trump on trade tariffs rather than risk a domestic political backlash. Japan is keen to avoid any deterioration in relations with Washington, and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba initially made it a priority to get to the US negotiating table before other countries. But business leaders and members of Mr. Ishiba's Liberal Democratic party have asked him to reject any deal that endangers the auto industry or threatens domestic farmers, forcing him to rethink, officials and analysts said. "While Japan is very keen to be the first country to negotiate tariffs with Washington, < b > that sense of urgency has now shifted to focus on making sure Japan gets a good deal, " a Japanese official said. < b > Officials say it is unlikely that a deal will be reached before elections to the upper house, which are due at the end of July and are expected to be a major test for Shigeru Ishiba's deeply unpopular government.