Japan hesitates between old rival China and old friend America as Trump tariffs upend alliances
Just as the best commercial negotiator in Japan traveled to Washington in another round of tariff talks last week, a two -party delegation called “Japanese Chinese friendship” concluded a visit to Beijing.
A week ago, the head of the junior party in the Japanese ruling coalition in Beijing was submitting a letter from Japanese Prime Minister Shigro Ishiba addressed to Chinese President Xi Jinping. The details of the message are unknown, but the two sides discussed the customs tariff in addition to bilateral issues.
Among all allies in the United States, they drag him on Beijing in the definition with Washington, Japan stands out.
It is a strange issue not only for its strong commitment to its alliance with the United States but also to its complex history and anxiety with the adjacent Asian giant – especially the history of the war since the twentieth century that still casts a shadow over today’s policy.
“On the one hand, they are neighbors and they are important economic partners. There is a lot that links Japan and China,” said Matthew Godman, director of the Greenberg Center for Geological Economy Signs of the Foreign Relations Council. “But on the other hand, I think there are limits in the range that will tend to China.”
Although Japan will not move away from its alliance with the United States, Linchpin is for the diplomatic and security policies of the Asian country, “it is also true that the definitions and uncertainty that Trump created for Japan really shakes matters in Tokyo.”
Last month, President Donald Trump announced a 24 % tariff on Japanese goods in a comprehensive plan to impose duties on about 90 countries. Since then, the White House has stopped the definitions, but the duty of the base line by 10 % on all countries except China, allowing time to negotiations. However, the Trump tax entered 25 % on aluminum, steel and cars exports to Japan.
The movements of customs tariffs, as well as the “first America” agenda of Trump, are raising doubts between the Japanese if the United States is still a reliable ally, while China brings together support from the countries threatened with customs tariffs-including Japan.
In Beijing, Japan sees positive signs
When Tetsuo Saito led the delegation of the Japanese Komeito Party to Beijing in late April, China has shouted to difficulty in its definition with the United States, indicating its willingness to improve relations with Tokyo. A major Chinese official unveiled his name said that his country was “in trouble” when discussing the Trump tariff by 145 % on Chinese products, according to Japanese reports.
Soon, Saito’s visit from the party delegation to the Japanese -Chinese Parliamentary Union was followed. Zhao Liji, the chief lawmaker in Beijing, told the delegation that the Chinese National People’s Conference will be “ready to implement various forms of dialogue and exchanges.”
Beijing has not lifted a ban on seafood imports in Japan as Japanese delegates hoped, but pointed to positive signs of its evaluation of the safety of radioactive wastewater processing from Fukushima Dychi nuclear power plant. Beijing banned Japanese seafood products in 2023, citing these concerns.
The relations between Tokyo and Beijing have long been rocky. In the past few years, they have not only been prohibited from prohibiting seafood, but were also a long regional conflict on Senkaku, or Dioyu, in islands in the East China Sea, and the increase in military and military violence in Beijing.
Tokyo also disturbed the document of Washington during the chairmanship of Joe Biden Beijing, who saw it as part of the American strategy to contain China and the presentation of Tokyo “directly to the interface and think about the history of aggression.”
Empire in Asia for several centuries, China fell behind Japan in the nineteenth century when Japan began to embrace Western manufacturing and grew into a huge economic and military power. In the thirties of the twentieth century, China invaded the northeastern region known as Manchuria. Military atrocities, including the nanning massacre, the use of chemical and biological weapons, and human medical experiences in Manchuria, have left deep scars in China. They have not yet been cured, although conservative politicians in Japan are still trying to deny the aggression.
Ishiba, the Japanese Prime Minister -elected in October, has a more neutral view of his country’s wartime history of the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his successors. Weeks after he took office, Ishiba held talks with Shi on the sidelines of the Leaders’ Summit.
However, Chinese scientists see Tokyo’s recent associations with Beijing as a pragmatic step to hedge against American protectionism and not a long -term strategy for stability with China.
Goodman said the possibilities are low on Japan to move to the orbit of China. “For a long time, they had to manage an important but difficult relationship with China,” he said. “This, again, is a long -term problem for Japan, dating back to centuries or thousands of years.”
Searching for tariff deals and stable relations in the United States
Although Japan may welcome the friendly tone of Beijing, it tries to stabilize relations between Japan and the United States under the Trump agenda “America first”, and hopes to settle the tariff conflict without confronting Washington, with attention to preventing Beijing from exploiting any repercussions in relations between Japan and the United States.
Japan was among the first countries to target talks with Washington. During the first round in mid -April, Trump entered himself into discussions, a sign of the high risks of the United States to reach a deal with Japan. According to the Trump administration, Japan prompted Japan to buy more US -making cars and open its market on beef, rice and potatoes.
After the second round of negotiating in Washington last week, Riusi Akazawa, the head of the customs tariff in the country, said that it prompted Japan’s request to drop the definitions and continue efforts towards an acceptable agreement on both sides. He said that the auto industry in Japan was already hurting me from a 25 % tariff and that it needed to be “inclusive but quickly.”
When asked about China, Akazawa only said that his country continues to see the development of the Arab Chinese tariff “with great interest. He referred to the deep trade relations in Japan with China.
Competition in Southeast Asia
While China and Japan are working to repair relations, the two are also competing in Southeast Asia, where Trump has also threatened high tariffs. The region was deeply integrated into the supply chain in China, but under pressure from the West to diversify and reduce its dependence on China. With the younger and growing population compared to East Asia, the region is an important growth center.
Japan, as a major shareholder, has regained a gradual confidence in the area of development in the region, which was also exposed to the past of World War II in Japan.
On Wednesday, Ishiba returned from Vietnam and the Philippines after agreeing with her leaders to increase the strengthening of security and economic relations. During the visit, Ishiba stressed Japan’s commitment to maintaining and strengthening the multilateral free trade system in each country. Ishiba also had phone conversations with his Malaysian and Singaporean counterparts earlier this month on American definitions.
Just weeks ago, Shi was in Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia, which also emphasizes free trade and searching for stronger supply chains.
In a recent discussion at the Washington -based Hudsunori ONODERA, the head of the Japanese ruling party’s policy, warned of “very unstable” feelings among many Asian countries facing a high tariff from the United States.
“There is a risk that may become more far and become closer to China,” Onodra said. “This is not something that Japan also wants.”
This story was originally shown on Fortune.com
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2025-05-06 10:42:00
