According to the Nikkei newspaper, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is set to take the lead in trade negotiations with Japan. The discussions under Bessent's direction are expected to cover exchange rate issues between the dollar and yen, as well as trade matters, as per sources from the U.S. Treasury Department cited by the Nikkei. While trade talks are typically led by the U.S. Trade Representative, the decision for the treasury secretary to spearhead negotiations suggests a potential focus on addressing what the U.S. perceives as the yen's weakness against the dollar. Following a phone call on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba agreed to appoint ministers to oversee trade discussions.