Reference News website reported on April 15 that the "Nikkei Asian Review" published an article titled "The 'Privilege' of the Alliance is No Longer Reliable, Will the Global Anti-Protectionist Wave Arise?" on April 11. The article is excerpted as follows: The Japan-US summit held in February just proposed to "pursue a new golden era for Japan-US relations", and less than two months have passed. On the 2nd, US President Trump announced the implementation of reciprocal tariffs on Japan. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe learned about the 24% tariff rate through American reports. In critical times in the past, Japan, as an ally, received special treatment from the United States. Three days before the start of the Gulf War when the multinational force led by the US attacked Iraq in 1991, the Japanese side was notified. According to telegrams and testimonies from former high-ranking government officials, the US secretly informed then Japanese Foreign Minister Kaifu Toshiki using the wording "American blood will be shed." The security guarantee provided by the US based on its alliance with Japan and the huge market have always been the foundation of Japan's economic growth over the past 80 years since the war. Trump's reciprocal tariffs target not only countries like China and Russia that are in opposition to the US, but also its allies and like-minded nations and regions. As the largest direct investor in the US, the Japanese government had hoped for special treatment, but this hope has now been shattered. Measures imposing reciprocal tariffs on all countries and regions hoping to negotiate with the US, including Japan, will be "delayed" by 90 days. Nevertheless, the US remains determined to impose tariffs unilaterally without prior notice. It seems that Japan can no longer rely on the privilege of the Japan-US alliance. There is no strong attitude from the Japanese government to defend free trade under challenge. Perhaps mindful of Trump, Prime Minister Abe rarely has the opportunity to mention "free trade." This contrasts sharply with Constitutional Democratic Party representative Yoshihiko Noda, who calls for a "Congressional resolution waving the flag of free trade." Honorary professor at Waseda University, Hidejirou Ura, demands, "Japan should file a lawsuit with the World Trade Organization accusing Trump's tariffs of violating rules." Many countries emphasize the importance of free trade while lining up to request individual negotiations with the US to minimize the impact of reciprocal tariffs on their own countries. However, if negotiations proceed according to an "America First" approach, there is a risk of accelerating the disintegration of free trade. Former Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia, Masayoshi Ishii, calls for "formulating diplomatic strategies under the premise that the US will no longer act as the standard-bearer of free trade." He believes that continuously striving to expand free trade zones centered around the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is Japan's way forward. Pull Southeast Asian countries that cannot rely on either the US or China into the free trade zone. At the same time, expand cooperation with China, Mercosur, and the EU. Ishii points out, "A plan is needed to incorporate countries other than the US into the free trade zone." Trump seeks to build a new world trade order using tariffs as leverage. Can we plan to counter it effectively? To avoid an era of chaos with competing protectionism, Japan needs to do more than just try to minimize the impact on its own economy during negotiations with the US. [Source image: https://p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-axegupay5k/760ba815a9c04e239fa705a1ac2fcebf~tplv-tt-origin-web:gif.jpeg?_iz=58558&from=article.pc_detail&lk3s=953192f4&x-expires=1745322760&x-signature=BaT1zGSTgnN7D%2BH8hlC%2Brm2HtfA%3D] [Image: February 7, US President Donald Trump (right) holds talks with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the White House in Washington. (Xinhua)] Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7493488012287050249/ Disclaimer: The article solely represents the views of the author. Please express your stance by voting up or down below.