President Donald Trump has arrived in Japan for the fourth time in six years. His visit comes amid shifting global tensions and renewed debate over protectionism and alliances.
It is his fourth visit in six years — surprisingly frequent for an American president.
His previous visit took place during the administration of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. This time, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who has openly pledged to continue Abe’s political legacy, welcomes him. That may partly explain the timing of this visit.
Today, Trump is scheduled to visit the Yokosuka Naval Base. I was a bit concerned about traffic restrictions in KAMAKURA, but it seems he will be traveling by air, so there will likely be no major disruptions as there were during Barack Obama’s visit years ago.
It has already been ten months since Trump returned to the presidency. He has been quick to announce a series of new policies, among which the “high tariffs” have stirred much controversy. Yet, there have been no reports of large-scale protests or riots in the United States, suggesting that things are relatively stable for now. It is said that these tariffs have already been incorporated into the fiscal structure, making them difficult to roll back.
The ones suffering most from these policies are countries other than the United States — Japan included — as we face the reality of rising prices. Everything seems to cost more, or the quantity and quality have been reduced. Everyday pleasures are quietly disappearing. Most non-U.S. nations are probably in the same predicament.
If the United States continues to pursue even stronger protectionist policies, other countries will inevitably find themselves in an increasingly difficult position.
This, of course, reflects how deeply dependent the world has become on the United States. At the same time, it also shows how effectively America has drawn global wealth to itself. If other nations could truly unite, perhaps a counterbalance could emerge — but given how much of the world’s wealth is already concentrated in U.S. hands, that seems unlikely.
In the end, it appears that American dominance will continue for some time. That said, the United States doesn’t appear to be acting entirely unreasonably. For Japan, the only realistic path may be to continue living as a close ally — even if that sometimes means a kind of “tribute diplomacy.”
And before we complain about America, perhaps we should first correct what needs fixing within our own country.
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