Japanese carmakers have largely absorbed the cost of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on auto imports, a move that may undermine the Asian nation’s negotiating power ahead of a July 9 deadline that will see duties rocket even higher.

President Donald Trump is threatening to impose higher tariffs on Japanese exports to the United States over what he claims is the country’s unwillingness to buy rice from here.

Nikkei in Japan closed lower on Monday. Investors were cautious about Trump's tariffs. They awaited details and impact on companies. Yaskawa Electric's shares fell due to profit forecast cut. Automakers like Toyota and Honda also declined.