Diplomatic Dynamics: Japan and Trump

Why has Japan fallen out of Trump’s good graces? Will Japan close a deal with the US before tariffs take effect? And how will the upcoming Japanese election impact relations?

To find out, ChinaTalk interviewed Professor Tomohiko Taniguchi, a longtime observer of US-Japan relations and former advisor to the late Shinzo Abe.

We discuss…

• Why 1970s trade competition is still impacting US-Japan relations today, and how Japan could create “Wow factor” when dealing with Donald Trump,

• How Shinzo Abe used golf, dinner parties, and history lessons to cultivate a close personal friendship with Trump,

• The roots of Japanese resolve in dealing with PRC aggression,

• The emergence of Russian disinformation surrounding the Japanese election,

• The political economy of the Japanese Self-Defence Force, and how Abe managed the controversy surrounding his reinterpretation of Article 9.

Co-hosting today is Charles Litchfield of the Atlantic Council. Thanks to the US-Japan Foundation for sponsoring this episode.

Outro music: Shinji Tanimura - Left Alone (YouTube Link)

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