There is no clear, credible evidence in the available sources that Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba explicitly stated Japan should make more efforts to become independent from the United States in response to Trump tariffs.
Ishiba says that Japan "should make more efforts to become independent from the United States" in response to Trump tariffs.

FactVerify
Source: factverify.com
Key Evidence
Multiple reputable sources covering Ishiba's interactions with Trump and trade talks do not report any statement by Ishiba urging Japan to become more independent from the United States in response to tariffs; instead, they emphasize cooperation and negotiation efforts.
reuters.comreuters.comFrom 'fantastic' to 'spoiled': How Japan's trade effort to woo Trump backfired
uschamber.comuschamber.comStrengthening U.S
What the Evidence Shows
The claim that Ishiba said Japan "should make more efforts to become independent from the United States" specifically in response to Trump tariffs breaks down into two components: 1) Ishiba making a statement about Japan's independence from the U.S., and 2) this statement being a reaction to tariffs imposed by then-President Trump. The search results primarily focus on Ishiba's meetings with Trump, trade negotiations, and Japan's efforts to placate or respond to U.S. Trade policies, including tariff threats.
However, none of the sources explicitly quote or report Ishiba advocating for Japan to become more independent from the U.S. As a strategic response to tariffs. Instead, the sources highlight Ishiba's attempts to maintain and strengthen U.S.-Japan relations, including promises of investment in the U.S. And cooperation on security issues.reuters.comreuters.comFrom 'fantastic' to 'spoiled': How Japan's trade effort to woo Trump backfired
uschamber.comuschamber.comStrengthening U.S Some sources mention ongoing trade tensions and tariff discussions but do not attribute any calls for strategic independence from the U.S. By Ishiba.
theguardian.comtheguardian.comTrump and Japanese PM Ishiba talk tariffs and vow to stand against Chinese...
Given the absence of direct evidence or quotations supporting the claim, it cannot be verified based on the provided information. It is possible that such a statement was made elsewhere or misattributed, but it is not documented in these credible reports.