Donald Trump's insistence that "spoiled" Japan imports more US rice is adding to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's problems ahead of elections that could sink his premiership after less than a year in office.

President Donald Trump has intensified his trade agenda, announcing tariff letters sent to seven nations—Sri Lanka, Algeria, Iraq, Libya, Philippines, Moldova, and Brunei—promising levies up to 30 per cent starting 1 August unless trade deals are secured.

President Donald Trump's threats to impose high tariffs on countries make U.S. trading partners and investors nervous. But his sector tariffs could hurt consumers and businesses more in the long run.

U.S. President Donald Trump's latest tariff delay provided some hope to major trade partners Japan, South Korea and the European Union that deals to ease duties could still be reached, while bewildering some smaller exporters such as South Africa and leaving companies with no clarity on the path forward.

In his new round of tariffs being announced this week, Trump is essentially tethering the entire world economy to his instinctual belief that import taxes will deliver factory jobs and stronger growth in the U.S., rather than the inflation and slowdown predicted by many economists.

Trump shared screenshots of letters detailing new tariff rates for over a dozen countries, allowing room for further negotiations before the renewed deadline of Aug. 1.

The Japanese government announced Tuesday it plans to negotiate with the Trump administration over a planned increase in the tariff rate placed on it, even if it was painful news to receive.