TOKYO, March 19 (Reuters) - The chief of Japan's auto

lobby warned on Wednesday that the potential April 2 start of

tariffs proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump could mean that

automakers and suppliers may have to make significant

adjustments to their production schedules.

"For us, avoiding tariffs is a matter of course," Masanori

Katayama, chairman of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers

Association (JAMA) and truck maker Isuzu Motors ( ISUZF ), told

reporters during a press conference.

"But if that is difficult because of the timing, we would

like to start discussing what the public and private sectors can

do to deal with the situation as the next best thing, and are

talking about that."