U.S. First Round of Tariff Talks Comes to an End: Has Japan Run Out of Cards?

U.S. First Round of Tariff Negotiations Concluded

The chief trade negotiator of Japan, Akira Akazawa, admitted in an interview with Japanese media that due to Trump's "sudden and direct intervention" in the negotiations, the "bottom line that Japan could not afford to concede" had lost its effect in substance. It was under this sudden situation that a White House representative directly stated: you (Japan) have no cards left. Japanese media such as Nikkei Asia reported in unison that this scene seemed to be a reenactment of what泽连斯基(Zelenskyy) encountered in the White House.

A latest poll by Asahi Shimbun also shows that 68% of Japanese clearly oppose their government's concession to the U.S. in the tariff negotiations, which has become the public opinion basis for Ishiba's cabinet to make new decisions.

Will Japan, who has always been submissive to the U.S., stand straight this time?

Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1829882658731072/

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