Japan's chief trade negotiator will visit the United States this week for talks aimed at convincing U.S. President Donald Trump to remove tariff measures against the East Asian country, officials said Tuesday.

Economic Revitalization Minister Ryosei Akazawa will be in Washington from Wednesday to Friday for talks with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, according to Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi.

China's Xi is making the case for free trade as he tours Southeast Asia this week, presenting China as a source of "stability and certainty."

On Monday, he was welcomed to Hanoi with pomp and ceremony by Vietnam's President Luong Cuong.

The Trump administration has taken its next steps toward imposing more tariffs on key imports, launching investigations into imports of computer chips, chip making equipment and pharmaceuticals.

The Department of Commerce posted notices about the probes late Monday on the Federal Register, seeking public comment within three weeks. It had not formally announced them earlier.

OPEC slightly lowered its forecast for oil demand growth on Monday, citing the impact of US tariffs on the world economy.

The Saudi-led oil cartel said in a monthly report that it now expects demand to grow by 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2025, down from a previous forecast of 1.4 million bpd.

Doha and Cairo are pursuing a $7.5 billion package of direct Qatari investment in Egypt, the two Arab nations said in a joint statement on Monday.

"The two sides emphasized the importance of strengthening economic cooperation... they agreed to work toward a package of direct Qatari investments totaling $7.5 billion, to be implemented over the next phase," Qatari official media said, citing the statement issued a visit by Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to the gas-rich Gulf state.

Lebanese depositors will get their money back "but it may take time", Economy Minister Amer Bisat said Monday.

"Nobody will lose their deposits but it may take time," Bisat told American news agency Bloomberg, adding that he believes that parliament will pass a draft law on restructuring Lebanon's banking sector within few weeks.

China's exports jumped 12.4% in March from a year earlier in a last-minute flurry of activity as companies rushed to beat increases in U.S. tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, and analysts forecast sharp setbacks ahead.

Imports fell 4.3% to $211.3 billion in March, the customs administration reported, far exceeded by exports worth $313.9 billion, leaving a trade surplus of $102.6 billion.

Sony said it will raise prices starting Monday for some PlayStation 5 video game consoles in Europe, Australia and New Zealand, citing global economic turmoil.

The company unveiled the price hikes of at least 10%, saying it was a "tough decision" amid the "backdrop of a challenging economic environment, including high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates."

China's leader Xi Jinping started a week of diplomacy in Southeast Asia with a visit to Vietnam on Monday, signaling China's commitment to global trade, just after U.S. President Donald Trump upended the global economy with his latest tariffs moves.

Although Trump has paused some tariffs, China was the outlier, as he has kept in place 145% tariffs on the world's second-largest economy.

Lebanon has adopted a draft law on restructuring its banking sector, a condition for unlocking international aid to help it emerge from an economic crisis it has suffered since 2019.