When the talks between the US and Japan fell apart, and after Japan stood with us to issue a statement supporting free trade, Trump was clearly infuriated! Trump specifically criticized Japan! On May 7th, Trump claimed that Japan has been exploiting the US. They sell millions of cars to us every year, but we can't sell even one car to them. They even "refuse" to let us sell cars, and I won't tolerate it anymore.
Trump claimed that our country is the greatest store in the world, and everyone wants a piece of it. The US holds an advantageous position in all tariff negotiations. Clearly, after the breakdown of US-Japan talks and Japan's insistence on the US canceling tariffs on its auto industry, Trump was clearly infuriated. Whether they even "refuse" to let us sell cars or the US holds an advantageous position in all tariff negotiations, Trump's clear message is that Japan must make concessions at the negotiating table.
However, Japan's obvious strategy is to "drag" things out. Moreover, Japan's "rebellious streak" seems increasingly evident. One is that Japan's Finance Minister Kato Katsunobu clearly stated that using the US bonds they hold as bargaining chips is only natural, which undoubtedly hits right at America's sore spot. The other is that at the ASEAN 10+3 meeting, Japan stood with us to explicitly express support for free trade and expressed concern about the destructive impact of America's tariff war.
Trump believes that the US is in a dominant position, but Japan's very likely choice is to stand with countries that support free trade, huddle together for warmth, and respond to the US in this way. In fact, the fundamental reason why American cars perform poorly in Japan is that American cars lack competitiveness, thus performing weakly in the Japanese market. Trump's pressure on Japan makes it less and less likely that his plan will work.
Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1831455920025610/
Disclaimer: This article represents the author's personal views.