U.S. tariffs on South Korea and Japan could sway upcoming leadership contests in both countries, modestly increase their trade with China and erode U.S.-South Korea defense cooperation, but they are unlikely to undermine U.S.-Japan security ties. From April 16-18, Japanese and U.S. officials held trade negotiations in Washington, and South Korean representatives are expected to travel to the United States in the coming days to begin their own talks. These moves come after U.S. President Donald Trump on April 9 granted a 90-day pause to "reciprocal" tariffs on most countries -- including tariffs of 24% on Japan and 26% on South Korea -- bringing the reciprocal tariff down to 10% for all countries except China. This reprieve did not, however, apply to imported vehicles or auto parts, key export industries in both South Korea and Japan that rely heavily on exports to the U.S. market. Those goods were subjected to...
