“I’m not sure if we’re gonna make a deal, I doubt it, with Japan.” After months of negotiation, the US and Japan still have not reached a trade deal. Are camera prices in danger of changing (again)?

US President Donald Trump holds a chart as he delivers remarks on reciprocal tariffs during an event in the Rose Garden entitled "Make America Wealthy Again" at the White House in Washington, DC, on April 2, 2025. Trump geared up to unveil sweeping new "Liberation Day" tariffs in a move that threatens to ignite a devastating global trade war. Key US trading partners including the European Union and Britain said they were preparing their responses to Trump's escalation, as nervous markets fell in Europe and America. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The temporary pause reducing reciprocal tariffs to 10 percent ends for most nations on July 09 – but a recent statement by US President Donald Trump casts doubt on whether or not a trade deal will be reached with Japan ahead of the deadline next week. With key camera brands including Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, Sony, OM System, Panasonic, and Ricoh headquartered in Japan, the nation is one for photographers to watch as the trade wars play out.

During an interview with reporters on Air Force One earlier this week, Trump told reporters he wasn’t sure if a deal would be made with Japan. “We’ve dealt with Japan,” he said. “I’m not sure if we’re gonna make a deal, I doubt it, with Japan. They and the others are so spoiled from having ripped us off for 30, 40 years that it’s really hard for them to make a deal.”

The two nations have been meeting for months. Despite Trump’s doubts on reaching an agreement, Kazuhiko Aoki, Japan’s Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, said that trade talks are ongoing. As trade talks continue, Trump’s doubts on reaching an agreement ahead of the deadline could also be a move to pressure Japan to agree to demands.

According to CNN, Trump accused Japan of not buying rice from the US, but US Census Bureau data indicates the nation bought $114 million worth of the grain in the first four months of 2025 alone. CNN also fact-checked Trump’s statement that the US hasn’t sent Japan cars in ten years, citing Japan Automobile Importers Association data indicating more than 16,000 US cars shipped to Japan.

When asked, Trump also indicated that he wasn’t planning on extending the 10 percent reciprocal tariff pause beyond the July 09 deadline. If an agreement isn’t reached, Japan’s tariffs would revert to 24 percent.

While trade talks seem focused on rice and the 25 percent import tax on Japanese cars, the nation is a key hub for camera and imaging technology. Japan has long been home to key camera brands. While a brand being headquartered in Japan doesn’t necessarily mean its cameras are made there, a number of cameras are made in Japan. Nikon’s DSLRs are made in Japan, for example, and some lenses. In response to the US tariffs, Fujifilm appears to have shifted production of some models from China to Japan.

Another nation to watch in the trade negotiations is Thailand, Nikon’s mirrorless cameras are made in Thailand, while reports indicate that Sony shifted most manufacturing to Thailand in 2023. Canon manufacturing centers have a presence in Japan, Thailand, and other countries.

Trade talks between the US and Thailand are also ongoing. Reuters reports that Thailand has offered to reduce its own tariffs, along with increasing investments in American-made products. If an agreement isn’t reached ahead of the pause, Thailand’s reciprocal tariff rates could revert to 32 percent.

Several camera companies have already adjusted their price in the US, including Canon, Leica, Nikon, Sigma, and Sony.

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