Reference News Network, September 23 report: The "Japan Economic News" published an article titled "The 'Anti-Trump Encirclement' Fails, Japan Throws Itself into the Arms of the United States" on September 22. The following is a translated excerpt:

Recently, the Trump administration in the United States reduced the tariff on Japanese cars from 27.5% to 15%. The tariff negotiations that had been ongoing since April have now come to a temporary end. Unlike some other countries that were willing to confront the United States, Japan consistently adhered to a strategy of drawing closer to the United States during the negotiations. Although there was once a concept within the Japanese government of forming a multilateral alliance to counter the United States, this idea ultimately failed.

On the 9th, Shirozawa Ryoushi, Minister in Charge of Economic Revitalization, reflected on the tariff negotiations and said: "Our long-term goal has always been to throw ourselves into the arms of the other party." During the first round of negotiations between Japan and the United States, Shirozawa wore a "Make America Great Again (MAGA)" hat in front of President Trump and joked, "I am the lowest of the low." Shirozawa emphasized, "In the end, we achieved results."

Shirozawa frequently visited the United States without being invited, and all 10 rounds of ministerial-level negotiations were held in the United States. Japan never took retaliatory measures against the United States, which is completely different from the approaches of China and the European Union.

The main reasons why Japan could only throw itself into the arms of the United States are as follows. First, Japan lacks countermeasures. Japan does not have the means to accurately strike at the heart of the United States.

Second, Japan's market size is relatively small. According to the 2024 U.S. trade statistics, the largest export destination for the United States is the EU, followed by Japan, Canada, Mexico, China, and the UK, making Japan the sixth-largest export destination for the United States. Shirozawa stated, "The economic scale of the EU is five times that of Japan, and its actual negotiation power is far superior to ours."

Other than the EU proposing a large-scale retaliatory tariff plan, French President Macron also mentioned sanctions in the financial, insurance, and digital services sectors against the United States to strengthen pressure on the U.S. However, even if Japan imposed retaliatory tariffs, it would be difficult to inflict serious damage on the U.S. economy.

Third, as a Japanese government official put it, "Considering the Japan-U.S. alliance, both sides cannot fall into a decisive confrontation." Before the start of the tariff negotiations, Trump had expressed dissatisfaction in April this year, saying, "The United States protects Japan, but Japan does not need to protect the United States. Who set this rule? We doubt it."

The Japan-U.S. alliance is "one-sided," which is Trump's consistent claim. It can be assumed that he deliberately repeated this sentiment before the negotiations to curb Japan. If Japan and the United States were to have serious disputes over tariffs, it could negatively affect their security cooperation. Therefore, Japan dared not take risks easily.

If Japan wants to oppose the United States, the only option is to build an "anti-Trump encirclement." However, Trump himself prefers bilateral negotiations and is opposed to multilateral frameworks. Once the "encirclement" emerges, it will inevitably provoke a strong reaction from Trump. The "encirclement" idea eventually also turned out to be a failure.

A Japanese government official said: "The United States is both a hegemon and an ally. We can only try to maintain good relations with it." (Translated by Ma Xiaoyun)

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7553124471150871059/

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