Ishiguro Norihiko

Chairman and CEO, Japan External Trade Organization Jetro

Search every verified Ishiguro Norihiko interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Norihiko Ishiguro, Chairman and CEO of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), appeared on a program titled "Trump 2.0" on May 12, 2025, to discuss the impact of U.S. tariff policies on Japanese businesses. He stated that the U.S. tariff policy "accelerates the division between the U.S. and China, which was already divided." Ishiguro noted that JETRO had received approximately 1,700 consultations from companies in the three months since launching a support desk in February 2025. He observed that firms with existing U.S. production facilities are strengthening their production lines, but that no new U.S. production bases have been established yet, citing the typical four-year timeline from site selection to factory operation. Ishiguro expressed concern about the erosion of traditional alliance relationships, stating that the "America First" policy has a "big impact" and that Japan needs to "change its mindset" and consider its proper role. He emphasized that for Japan to maintain a high per capita GDP, it must "incorporate overseas vitality" and "earn abroad," asserting that "the growth of the Japanese economy and Japanese companies is impossible if they remain closed off domestically."