My people! Hold on tight because the saga between the United States and Japan has a new chapter, and it’s not a love story. It turns out that President Donald Trump has again intervened with tariffs, and now Japanese products entering U.S. soil will have to pay a 25% tax starting August 1. A serious matter!

The Japanese Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, did not hold back and said that the measure is "truly regrettable". Of course, a 25% increase is a tough blow to the wallet! He said this on Tuesday morning, right after Trump posted the letters with the new tariffs on his Truth Social account. Just like that, without anesthesia! 😬

Imagine, it used to be 24% and now they've raised it by another point. But Ishiba, with all the calm in the world, assured that they will continue talking to Washington. They are not throwing in the towel! He himself stated that depending on how Japan responds in the coming weeks, the United States might reverse or review the decision. There is hope! 🙏

But Japan is not the only one on Trump’s blacklist. Countries like South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, and South Africa are also in the same boat, paying higher tariffs and sporting the same unfriendly faces.

South Korea: Charging for lower tariffs! 🇰🇷

South Korea is going all out in Washington D.C. trying to prevent an increase on the 20% they were already hit with in April. The Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, Yeo Han-Koo, has already met with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, asking for a reduction in tariffs on steel and cars, among other things. They are fighting hard to minimize the impact! However, so far, there have been no updates that they've received the green light.

Other countries: Frustration and zero progress? 😠

Outside of Japan and South Korea, things remain heated.

  • Thailand: Their Finance Minister, Pichai Chunhavajira, was left "a bit in shock" because their rate remained at a high 36%. Still, he has faith that it will drop before the deadline. Hopefully!

  • Malaysia: They increased from 24% to 25%. But don’t worry, the Malaysian government said they will not back down and will continue negotiating with the U.S. to reach an agreement that benefits everyone. Keep going!

  • South Africa: President Cyril Ramaphosa raised the alarm over the 30% tariff that Trump imposed, saying it makes no sense. On his X account (formerly Twitter), he claimed that 77% of U.S. products enter South Africa tariff-free, so he wants a fair relationship. Keep going with diplomacy!

Some analysts are somewhat skeptical, saying it is difficult for these efforts to significantly change the situation. Deborah Elms from the Hinrich Foundation mentioned that the Asian countries that have worked hard in negotiations were given almost the same treatment as those who didn’t even show up in Washington. How strong! She believes that Trump is still focused on Asia due to supply chain issues connected with China. So, this is not over yet!

The world of international trade is on fire, my people! We need to stay tuned to how these negotiations develop, because this affects us all! What do you think will happen in the end? $TRUMP $BTC $SOL