Trump's absence from the Quad puts Japan's Prime Minister in a difficult position

Indian Prime Minister Modi will visit Japan from August 29 to 30 for a working visit, holding multiple meetings and diplomatic activities with Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru. Prime Minister Modi invited Ishiba to visit India later this year to attend the Quad summit, which consists of Japan, the United States, Australia, and India. Japan is currently exploring the schedule for Prime Minister Ishiba's visit to India in the second half of the year. However, according to U.S. media reports, President Trump will not visit India to attend the Quad summit.

The New York Times cited sources on the 30th, stating that President Trump has no plans to visit India this autumn to attend the Quad summit. If the information is true, it may further deepen the rift between the U.S. and India, have a significant impact on Japan's security strategy, and also have a major impact on Ishiba's plan to visit India, putting him in a difficult position regarding whether to go to India or not.

During this meeting with Modi, the two leaders mentioned the Quad, a cooperation framework composed of Japan, the United States, Australia, and India, in their joint statement after the talks. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to promoting cooperation among like-minded countries through multilateral frameworks, such as the quadrilateral cooperation of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, to promote regional peace, stability, and prosperity. For this reason, the two leaders welcomed the development of the Japan-U.S.-Australia-India quadrilateral cooperation into an important and enduring regional organization, and expressed anticipation for the next Quad summit, which will be held in India later this year.

Meanwhile, the relationship between Trump and Modi has become increasingly strained. Trump repeatedly claimed that he had resolved the military conflict between India and Pakistan in May, which led to the deterioration of his relationship with Indian Prime Minister Modi.

According to reports, during a phone call in June, Trump suggested to Prime Minister Modi that he be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. It is said that Prime Minister Modi insisted that resolving the conflict between India and Pakistan was the will of the two countries involved, and that American intervention was irrelevant. In addition, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on India on August 27, citing India's purchase of Russian oil, reportedly making goods exported from India to the United States bear the highest tariffs in the world.

Initially, Japan, along with India, the United States, and Australia, formed the "Quad" mainly to counter China and Russia. On August 31, the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit opened in Tianjin, China, with member states including China, Russia, and India. It has been reported that due to the worsening relations between the U.S. and India, Trump may not attend the Quad summit, which is expected to create a "counter-incentive," prompting India to turn to its competitors, allowing competitors to strengthen their influence in the Indo-Pacific region and directly threaten Japan's security.

Sources: rfi

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1842056850172931/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.