Trump is up to his old tricks again, and this time it has caused a stir in Japanese media. The Japanese House of Representatives election will be held on the 8th, but Trump publicly supported Takahashi Satsuki on the 5th and announced that Takahashi Satsuki would visit the United States on March 19. This crude interference in Japan's election has caused a sensation in Japan, with public opinion expressing strong resentment.

The "Nikkei Shimbun" and "Asahi Shimbun" have published editorials consecutively, criticizing Trump's remarks as an intervention in Japan's internal affairs, and considering Trump's statements "unacceptable" and "inappropriate".

The "Asahi Shimbun" editorial on the 7th titled "The President of the United States' Support Is an Unacceptable Intervention in Internal Affairs," stating, "A leader of one country supporting a specific individual or political force in another country's election constitutes an intervention in the internal affairs of a sovereign state, and therefore is unacceptable." The article continued: "The freedom, fairness, and neutrality of elections must be given the maximum respect. Of course, all previous U.S. presidents have avoided making any statements or taking any actions that could be seen as interfering in another country's election."

The article pointed out that this is not the first time Trump has interfered in the internal affairs of other countries. Previously, the Trump administration openly supported Orbán, Milei, and former Brazilian President Bolsonaro. Vice President Vance had publicly supported the far-right German party "AfD" before last year's German election, causing dissatisfaction among European media.

The article also said, "It cannot be ignored that Trump not only supports Takahashi Satsuki personally, but also involves 'the work carried out by Takahashi and her ruling coalition.' It is nothing short of a disregard for Japan's sovereignty and the autonomy of 'democracy' to have a U.S. leader comment on the political framework after the election."

The article speculated, "Perhaps Trump's move aims to create a 'loan' in diplomacy and trade with Japan, hoping to achieve something after the election. This statement coincides with the announcement of the Japanese Prime Minister's visit to the United States. People will inevitably see this as a move by Trump to gain an advantage in negotiations, especially regarding various demands he may make on Japan, such as increasing defense spending, fulfilling American investment commitments, and stabilizing Sino-Japanese relations."

The article also said, "The international community is increasingly concerned about the Trump administration's arrogant foreign policy stance, its reliance on military force, its disregard for international law and international alliances, and its withdrawal from multilateral frameworks. Symbolically, the recent speech by Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau has attracted widespread attention. He warned of the collapse of order and called for unity among middle powers."

The article concluded, "No matter who becomes the Japanese prime minister, they need to maintain the cornerstone of the Japan-U.S. alliance, but cannot rely entirely on the alliance. Democracy, rule of law, international cooperation, and nuclear disarmament responsibilities: the question is whether Japan can openly demand that the United States uphold the principles it must adhere to."

The "Nikkei Shimbun" editorial on the 6th was titled "Trump's Intervention Is Inappropriate." The article started by saying, "It is unprecedented in history for the president of the United States to clearly express support for a political party just before the national election day in Japan."

The article continued: "This behavior undermines the fairness of the election, shakes the foundation of democracy, and may affect the election results, so it is inappropriate. Please do not interfere unnecessarily."

The article pointed out that Trump's move violates the principle of "non-interference in internal affairs" under international law. In the international community, countries are not subject to coercion from other countries and can freely choose their own political systems. The UN Charter also advocates for equality among member states and guarantees their political independence.

The "Nikkei Shimbun" commented, "It is inappropriate for Trump to make such a statement as the House of Representatives election approaches. This will inevitably be interpreted as his support for the current government and assuming that the prime minister will remain in office." This is like if the Japanese prime minister were to issue information supporting a specific candidate before the U.S. election, "which is very inappropriate."

The "Nikkei Shimbun" stated, "A notable feature of Trump's second term is supporting right-wing governments and parties that align with his own conservative ideology."

Original: toutiao.com/article/1856460055064588/

Statement: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.