Trump Keeps Stabbing Japan in the Back
Tokyo doesn’t have a playbook for a supposed ally this unreliable.
The relationship between the United States and Japan is currently one-sided, according to Tokyo. Despite Japan being a prime ally to the US, the Trump administration's policies have created hurdles for the two countries. This is particularly true for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who is an Abe protégé. Takaichi has had success with Trump in public relations meetings, but this does not mask the fundamental issues in their relationship.
The Trump administration has portrayed Japan as an economic villain due to its large trade surplus. This has led to various tariff threats, primarily targeting Japanese car exports. In response, Tokyo agreed to a $550 billion investment program, despite the one-sided nature of the deal. Despite setbacks, Japan remains committed to the deal, though it doubts it will meet the $550 billion target by 2028.
The relationship has also been strained by allegations involving Japan in China's alleged "great transshipment scam." Additionally, Japan has had to absorb the impact of Trump's Iran policy, with rising oil prices causing inflation in the country. Takaichi has proposed further subsidies to counteract the fiscal impact, but this may weaken Japan's already shaky financial situation.
The United States has provided support to Japan, such as foreign exchange market interventions, but this is more to prevent Japan from selling its large investments in U.S. Treasury securities. The issue is further complicated by Japan's opposition to the International Criminal Court, which the Trump administration has targeted by sanctioning its president.
Written by urgent.news from Foreign Policy's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
