A New Phase in U.S.-Japan Relations with a 30% Share of FDI in the World’S Third Largest Economy, the U.S
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#JapanTheWorldfolio Our World #TheWorldfolio Thursday, April 20, 2017 This supplement to USA TODAY was solely produced by United WorldJAPAN Ltd., Suite 179, 34 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0RH – Tel: +44 (0)20 7305 5678 – [email protected] – www.unitedworld-usa.com A new phase in U.S.-Japan relations With a 30% share of FDI in the world’s third largest economy, the U.S. stands for Japan’s top investor. After months of “hard talk” during the American electoral campaign, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Donald Trump open a new era of business relations between the two countries he alliance between cific skies. His Japan-bashing that, once in the White House, In February, Abe became the Prime Minister Abe prob- “We are committed to the U.S. and Japan comments were a prominent President Trump would phase first international leader to meet ably went home with the sense the security of Japan has been a pillar element of his foreign policy out his heated campaign prom- President Trump, and none of that his meeting with Trump and all areas under its of the post-WWII pledges during the presiden- ises in favor of a sober, pragma- the campaign’s Japan-bashing was an achievement. After all, administrative control. global order. While tial campaign. Tokyo is under- tist endorsement of the strong rhetoric was used in a seem- he returned to Japan with a The bond between our some trade skirmishes transito- standably unsettled. U.S.-Japan bilateral alliance. ingly reassuring encounter. firm commitment that the U.S. two nations and the rily strained bilateral relations in Certainly, it is not custom- But optimistic commenta- A hug and a shake between will not compromise the vital friendship between our T two peoples runs very, the last few decades (especially ary for any U.S. presidential tors were quickly disappointed the American and Japanese security links between both in the 1980s), the overall goal candidate to describe Japan as a on January 24 when President leaders were interpreted as os- countries. very deep” of seeking common ground country that is taking American Trump, soon after taking of- tensible gestures indicating that But seen in a cold light (which, in the Asia-Pacific region has jobs, manipulating its currency fice, signed an executive or- Trump may be backpedaling on against the backdrop of Trump’s DONALD TRUMP, been a paramount feature in and free-riding on the U.S. mili- der removing the U.S. from his combative electoral pledg- threatening remarks, is arguably U.S. President both countries’ foreign policy, tary involvement in Asia. Such the Trans-Pacific Partnership es. The American President’s difficult) the American com- irrespective of who is in charge. crude messages can be found (TPP), a 12-nation trade deal remarks were also a source of mitment to bilateral strategic main steward of Washington’s No American leader has in books, essays and media ar- seen by Japan as a major strate- relief: “We are committed to and defense ties should not strategic interests in Asia. Nor dared to challenge that status ticles by firebrand commenta- gic means of countering China’s the security of Japan and all be interpreted as a diplomatic should America rely solely on quo. President Obama nur- tors (Mr. Trump himself spoke rise in the Pacific. “A great thing areas under its administrative achievement, but as the mere its own prowess, resources and tured that relationship and of Japan as a country “ripping us for the American worker what control”, he said, while empha- confirmation of an alliance that single-minded goals to become hosted Prime Minister Shinzo off like no one ever ripped us off we just did,” said Mr. Trump in sizing that “the bond between seems inevitable in the face of a solitary actor in the region. Abe in Pearl Harbor last year in before” in his 1989 bestselling a clear message to some of his our two nations and the friend- an increasingly assertive China It is not clear whether it was a historic overture that rests on book ‘The Art of the Deal’), but struggling, unemployment- ship between our two peoples and of North Korea’s follies. Mr. Trump’s advisers who made rock-solid diplomatic, defense definitely they were not a staple stricken blue-collar voters. runs very, very deep”. He also The financial details of the the President understand the and economic ties. ingredient of presidential cam- Withdrawing from the treaty promised to bring those ties bilateral security arrangement importance of maintaining the The election of Donald paign speeches. may have been a largely symbol- even closer. may be the object of discus- U.S.-Japan alliance, or whether Trump, however, is sending Many Japanese and interna- ic gesture (Hillary Clinton also Crucially, the President’s re- sion, and that of course could it was Mr. Abe’s diplomatic clouds to previously clear Pa- tional observers were hopeful proved to be unenthusiastic marks were backed by a joint have important implications. touch what suddenly convinced about TPP during the last stage statement stressing the U.S. But what are the chances for Mr. Trump. But it worked none- of her campaign), but speaks commitment to defend Japan America to find a more reliable theless, and Mr. Trump even A UNITED WORLD SUPPLEMENT PRODUCED BY: volumes about Mr. Trump’s through nuclear and conven- partner than Japan in a region thanked Japan for hosting U.S. Jacqueline Vines & Fabrizio Fitzgerald Farina, Project Directors. determination to fulfil populist tional military capabilities. The that poses major geostrategic bases in its territory instead of Alejandro Ruiz Luque, Enric Brines & Aline Ouaknine, Market Ana- electoral promises even at the meeting between both leaders challenges for the U.S. in the threatening to withdraw them lysts. Fatima Ruiz Moreno, Regional Director. Jonathan Meaney, expense of a key U.S. ally. seemed to cast aside Trump’s immediate future? No other unless Tokyo paid for them (in Chief Editor. (Special thanks to interpreters: Joseph Gabriella, Albert Despite that rocky beginning, promise to force Tokyo to pay country in the region has the fact, Japan pays $1.84 billion per Cheng, Sean Victoria, Yutaka Tano & Miki Tokuda) much has been done in record for American military bases in leverage, the weight and the time to restore damaged trust. its territory. will to replace Japan as the Continues on page 2 Our World Insert is produced by United World. Neither USA Today nor any other media participated in its preparation or are responsible for its content 2 Thursday, April 20, 2017 Distributed by USA TODAY JAPAN Continued from page 1 U.S. President Donald Trump (Credit: Gage Skidmore) year for the bases, something that President Trump seemed to ignore or at the very least failed to mention). More importantly, Mr. Trump also forgot about his electoral demand that Japan should halt its reliance on the U.S. nuclear umbrella and develop and deploy its own nuclear capabilities. Instead, the two leaders committed to defending Japan, including the disputed Japanese-controlled islands claimed by China. The defense alliance with the U.S. is vital for Japan, and Mr. Abe has been quick to point out that it must be maintained no matter who sits in the White House. He has candidly ac- knowledged that article 5 of the U.S.-Japan security treaty, which obliges the two coun- tries to jointly defend Japan in the event of an attack by a third country, may not be automati- cally fulfilled if that situation arrived. Therefore, Mr. Abe thinks that at least other coun- tries “should believe” that both the U.S. and Japan are ready to make good on that article as a means of deterring potential attacks against Japan. Mr. Abe clearly thinks that grow and both Japan and the imposing tariffs on Japanese relations may take is every- looked, as most of the attention perceptions matter, and both U.S. are advanced in IoT (In- companies’ imports, as he body’s guess. (and the ire) of Mr. Trump and America and Japan have to ternet of Things) and innova- promised to do. In addition, it Perhaps the most urgent task of millions of American work- give the impression that an at- tion. I believe the two countries is not clear to what extent Mr. for Tokyo in re-engineering ers have focused on one single tack on the latter will immedi- will lead collaboration to make Trump’s decision to pull out economic relations with the fact: Japan’s hefty trade surplus ately trigger retaliation from the sure we have adequate and se- of TPP will have on economic U.S. is to make sure that the ad- ($68.9 billion last year) with the former. However, and beyond cure infrastructure around the relations – after all, the TPP is ministration and the American U.S. American assurances and the world”, she says. a largely strategic treaty mainly voters understand that Japan, Japanese surpluses with perceptions of Asian neigh- Unlike defense, an area in intended to counteract China, far from being the ruthless job- America are a stubborn af- No.1 bors, Japan is not sitting with which the need for both coun- not a mere free trade agreement. fair. After the 2011 Fukushima The U.S. is the main destination for its arms crossed. The threat tries to cooperate seems indis- Now that America is out of nuclear disaster, Japan became Japanese foreign direct investment (FDi) posed by North Korea is mak- putable, economic relations the deal, lengthy negotiations “The relationship used to recording trade deficits ing Tokyo rethink its strict may prove much tougher.