Trump Confirms Trade Deals with Japan and Philippines, Touts Record Investment

In Brief:

Japan to invest $550B in U.S., faces 15% tariffs; Philippines secures 19% U.S. tariff rate and zero tariffs on U.S. goods.

Both deals expand market access and boost U.S. alliances amid growing China tensions.

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Former U.S. President Donald Trump has unveiled major bilateral trade agreements with Japan and the Philippines—moves he claims mark some of the “largest deals ever made.”

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Japan will invest $550 billion into the U.S. economy and accept 15% tariffs on its exports while opening up its markets to American cars and agricultural goods. The yen briefly rose in response to the announcement. However, full details of the agreement remain pending, with comprehensive terms expected in the coming weeks.

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In a separate announcement, Trump confirmed a trade pact with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who recently met with him at the White House. Under the deal, the U.S. will apply a 19% tariff on Philippine goods—lower than the previously planned 20%—while the Philippines will continue imposing zero tariffs on American imports. The agreement also reportedly includes elements of military cooperation between the two countries.

The deal with the Philippines marks the fourth such agreement by Trump in his current term, following previous trade frameworks with the UK, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Both moves come amid increasing geopolitical tension in the South China Sea and are seen as efforts to realign trade and military ties across Asia.

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