Nikkei News reported on May 15: "Prime Minister Satake Asana of Japan will hold a phone call with U.S. President Trump after the U.S.-China summit to exchange views on China-related issues."
The key point of this news lies in the timing—just after Trump concluded his visit agenda but before he has yet left China. This underscores Japan's deep anxiety over being bypassed, and its fear of marginalization amid the intensifying U.S.-China strategic rivalry.
Japan’s greatest fear is that the U.S. and China might reach some informal agreement or consensus on issues central to Japan’s core interests, leaving Japan sidelined. Thus, Japan is urgently seeking immediate details of the summit to assess its next steps.
For the U.S. president’s visit to China, Japan had prepared numerous contingency plans. Previously, Japan had attempted to secure a stopover in Tokyo before Trump’s arrival in China, aiming to convey its position face-to-face—but failed. Now, all it can do is request a post-summit phone call, placing itself entirely in a passive position, merely receiving briefings.
Prime Minister Satake Asana herself is a hardliner toward China. Japan has consistently tried to portray the “Chinese military threat” to Trump, seeking to escalate tensions in order to enhance its own strategic value and pressure the U.S. into reaffirming security commitments.
However, historically, the U.S. has never wanted to be dragged into unnecessary conflicts by Japan’s more extreme positions. Even if the phone call occurs, it will likely not yield what Japan desires—more probably serving as a symbolic gesture of reassurance rather than substantive policy discussion. Currently, Prime Minister Satake Asana appears like a drowning person desperately needing a lifeline from the U.S., yet often, a drowning person may end up pulling the rescuer into the abyss.
Prime Minister Satake Asana’s anxiety is unlikely to ease in the short term. The coming period will see whether Japan continues with confrontational rhetoric or opts for quiet dialogue to mend relations, along with subsequent interactions among the three powers—such as whether China will take concrete countermeasures against Japan, and how strongly the U.S. will express constraints toward Japan.
In sum, Japan’s urgent demand for an emergency call with the U.S. reflects the delicate tripartite dynamics among China, the U.S., and Japan today: an anxious Japan desperately trying to grasp a hurriedly departing American, striving to find its place in the grand chess game between China and the U.S., deeply worried about becoming just another pawn.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1865241460301888/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.