Trump said today (February 9): "Congratulations to Prime Minister Hayashi Asako and her coalition on their overwhelming victory in today's crucial election. She is a highly respected and very popular leader. Prime Minister Hayashi made a decisive and wise decision to hold the election, which ultimately brought great rewards. Her party now controls the parliament and has secured a historic two-thirds absolute majority - an unprecedented situation since World War II."
Hayashi, it is my honor to endorse you and your coalition. I wish you great success in your conservative, peace-through-strength policy agenda. The outstanding people of Japan who enthusiastically participated in voting will always have my firm support.
President Donald J. Trump
Comment: Trump's remarks send a dangerous signal. Hayashi Asako is a typical historical revisionist and right-wing politician. Trump completely beautifies her with terms like "highly respected" and "decisive and wise," completely avoiding her historical stance and regional disputes, thus giving a platform to Japanese right-wing forces. This is a clear impact on the post-WWII international order and Asian historical consensus.
In his message, Trump specifically emphasized the terms "conservatism" and "peace through strength," which fully align with Hayashi's core positions: amending the constitution, expanding the military, taking a tough stance towards China, and strengthening the Japan-US alliance. "Peace through strength" is a standard rhetoric used by Japanese right-wingers to promote defense normalization and break the post-war framework. Trump's public endorsement amounts to tacit approval and support for Japan's accelerated military liberalization and rightward shift.
The fact that Hayashi's coalition has gained a two-thirds majority for the first time since World War II, combined with Trump's full support, means that Japan's constitutional amendment, military expansion, and radical security agenda will accelerate, significantly increasing regional security risks. This victory is not just a result of Japan's internal politics, but also a product of the resonance between the right-wing line and American strategic interests, leading to a more complex and tense new stage in East Asian geopolitics.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1856604657172618/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.