Information is extraordinary. In the face of Trump's tariff war, the Japanese prime minister has come forward to make a statement! On April 14th, Japanese Prime Minister Shiobara said that in a recent phone conversation with President Trump, he mentioned that there were no American cars running on Japanese roads. In fact, it's not true that there are no American cars running on Japanese roads; perhaps he just didn't notice them. Shiobara stated that one must understand Trump from both logical and emotional perspectives.
Not only that, but Shiobara claimed that we should think about what best serves national interests. This is not about pandering; at the same time, we must take into account the existence of China and Russia, considering what methods are most effective and what benefits the world the most, and respond accordingly. Clearly, the Japanese prime minister's response to Trump's trade war is worth pondering. Why do we say so? First, in the face of Trump's exaggerated remarks, Japan did not comply but instead explained its position rationally, which is somewhat rare.
Second, Shiobara claimed that we should not pander, and we must consider China and Russia. Such a response cannot be described as anything other than soft but firm. Third, Shiobara's statement about understanding Trump from both logical and emotional perspectives is even more interesting. How should we interpret this? The meaning is actually saying that we know Trump's approach is unreasonable, and we do not agree with it, but we still need to understand him. To put it bluntly, in the face of America's bullying behavior, Japan's current attitude is one of understanding while suppressing its anger to understand, rather than complying, which itself is unusual.
Why is Japan making such statements? This may be due to two reasons. First, Japan might have seen the weakness in America's leadership, thus becoming restless. Although Japan is not likely to openly oppose the United States at present, the restlessness is indeed starting to show. Second, our countermeasures and America's adjustments may have led Japan to conclude that the balance of power in the Asia-Pacific region is undergoing profound changes. Japan seems to sense the subtle atmosphere arising from the slightest movement. Undoubtedly, this trade war will have a profound impact on future patterns, and Japan's changing attitude will have the significance of a weather vane.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1829368405642443/
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