The robbery has officially begun.Japan $55 billion, South Korea $3500 billion, all have to be prepaid.Trump thinks he is the president who will make the most money, but in the eyes of others, he is robbery.
Recently, Trump's frequent attacks against Japan and South Korea have made many people dumbfounded. He sent "bills" directly to Japan and South Korea, asking Japan to pay $550 billion and South Korea to pay $350 billion, saying it was an "advance payment". If you don't give money, you will impose a 25% tariff on their goods.
In the face of a $350 billion demand, South Korea’s national security adviser Wei Sanlo told the truth that South Korea could not get so much cash at all, which was beyond the level they could handle.
South Korea’s total overseas direct investment in the past five years in the world combined hasn’t been so much, and Trump also demanded that almost all of it be funded in cash, a task that is simply impossible for South Korea to accomplish.
South Korea’s president, Li Keqiang, said more directly that if it were to take this cash on the request of the United States, South Korea would have to face a financial crisis like the one in 1997, which caused the South Korean economy to almost collapse, and now no one dares to take this risk.
Japan's $55 billion is equally priced, but those who understand the situation know that Japan has long been accustomed to being beaten by the United States, but this time the appetite is too big.
Japan bore 88% of the expenses of the US troops stationed in Japan before, while Germany, which also has US troops stationed, only bore 28%. The annual funding for the US troops stationed in Japan alone is $1.71 billion, more than Germany's $1 billion.
These funds cover wide scope, not only the rents of U.S. military bases, salaries of Japanese employees, even golf courses in the U.S. military bases, cinema maintenance fees, and hydroelectric gas costs were paid by Japan, a few years ago Japan spent on the U.S. military in Japan a year reached 76.12 billion yen, which also includes the cost of the base relocation.
But even so, Trump is still not satisfied, this direct lion's big deal will be 550 billion, which is equivalent to doubling the cost of the past few decades several dozen times, giving no room for Japan to negotiate.
In fact, Trump so early has a precedent, he from doing business on this set of techniques, in the autobiography has written, first put a stunning goal, then repeatedly pressure, and finally let the other party accept their real requirements.
This was the case when South Korea was asked for military spending before. When the two sides were about to negotiate, he gave an instruction directly beyond the negotiators, demanding that 50% of the "protection fee" be added on the full basis, forcing South Korea to pay an extra $500 million.
According to him, the allies have to pay all the expenses for stationing the U.S. troops, and an additional 50% of the profits have to be paid, making the garrison a business with a gross profit margin of 50%. In the past, the U.S. garrison would pay some money by itself to engage in military-civilian co-construction, but now it's better. Not only does it not spend a penny, it also has to make money from its allies.
More severe is the tariff threat, 25% tariff for Japan and Korea is not a small thing. South Korea's cars, electronic components, Japan's cars, precision instruments, are all earned money by exporting to the United States, once tariffs are imposed, these commodities in the U.S. market prices have to rise a big hit, can not sell the U.S. domestic products.
Take Korean cars as an example. The annual export volume to the United States accounts for a large share of the total export volume. If a 25% tariff is added, Korean automobile companies will have to lose a lot of money, factories may reduce production, and workers will have to lose their jobs.
The situation in Japan is similar, before the United States had threatened to raise taxes on Japanese cars, scared Japan to rush to negotiate, this time Trump is real, Japan does not dare to bet.
Faced with this threat, Japan and South Korea can only bite the bullet and talk. The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Resources of the Republic of Korea quickly issued a statement, saying that it would speed up negotiations for mutually beneficial results. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba also held a meeting, saying that he would continue tough consultations but didn't want to compromise easily. But to put it bluntly, there was no way. After all, he had to rely on the United States for security, and he didn't dare to really tear his face.
But anyone with a discerning eye can see that this is naked robbery. In the past, the United States pretended to be the big brother, but now it is plucking geese and not letting go of a penny. Trump always feels that he is the most profitable, and regards international exchanges as doing business, but in the eyes of others, this is unruly robbery. Allies are holding their breath in their hearts, but they just dare to be angry and dare not speak out.
This practice of only looking at money has long forgotten the so-called friendship of allies. In the final analysis, it is because of its own strength to bully Japan and South Korea and dare not resist. Such an "advance payment" requirement has never been a reasonable appeal, that is, using power to force the other party to pay.
References:
Trump said: Japan's 550 billion US dollars and South Korea's 350 billion US dollars must be advance payments.--2025-09-26 15: 52 · Observer.com
Recently, Trump's frequent attacks against Japan and South Korea have made many people dumbfounded. He sent "bills" directly to Japan and South Korea, asking Japan to pay $550 billion and South Korea to pay $350 billion, saying it was an "advance payment". If you don't give money, you will impose a 25% tariff on their goods.
In the face of a $350 billion demand, South Korea’s national security adviser Wei Sanlo told the truth that South Korea could not get so much cash at all, which was beyond the level they could handle.
South Korea’s total overseas direct investment in the past five years in the world combined hasn’t been so much, and Trump also demanded that almost all of it be funded in cash, a task that is simply impossible for South Korea to accomplish.
South Korea’s president, Li Keqiang, said more directly that if it were to take this cash on the request of the United States, South Korea would have to face a financial crisis like the one in 1997, which caused the South Korean economy to almost collapse, and now no one dares to take this risk.
Japan's $55 billion is equally priced, but those who understand the situation know that Japan has long been accustomed to being beaten by the United States, but this time the appetite is too big.
Japan bore 88% of the expenses of the US troops stationed in Japan before, while Germany, which also has US troops stationed, only bore 28%. The annual funding for the US troops stationed in Japan alone is $1.71 billion, more than Germany's $1 billion.
These funds cover wide scope, not only the rents of U.S. military bases, salaries of Japanese employees, even golf courses in the U.S. military bases, cinema maintenance fees, and hydroelectric gas costs were paid by Japan, a few years ago Japan spent on the U.S. military in Japan a year reached 76.12 billion yen, which also includes the cost of the base relocation.
But even so, Trump is still not satisfied, this direct lion's big deal will be 550 billion, which is equivalent to doubling the cost of the past few decades several dozen times, giving no room for Japan to negotiate.
In fact, Trump so early has a precedent, he from doing business on this set of techniques, in the autobiography has written, first put a stunning goal, then repeatedly pressure, and finally let the other party accept their real requirements.
This was the case when South Korea was asked for military spending before. When the two sides were about to negotiate, he gave an instruction directly beyond the negotiators, demanding that 50% of the "protection fee" be added on the full basis, forcing South Korea to pay an extra $500 million.
According to him, the allies have to pay all the expenses for stationing the U.S. troops, and an additional 50% of the profits have to be paid, making the garrison a business with a gross profit margin of 50%. In the past, the U.S. garrison would pay some money by itself to engage in military-civilian co-construction, but now it's better. Not only does it not spend a penny, it also has to make money from its allies.
More severe is the tariff threat, 25% tariff for Japan and Korea is not a small thing. South Korea's cars, electronic components, Japan's cars, precision instruments, are all earned money by exporting to the United States, once tariffs are imposed, these commodities in the U.S. market prices have to rise a big hit, can not sell the U.S. domestic products.
Take Korean cars as an example. The annual export volume to the United States accounts for a large share of the total export volume. If a 25% tariff is added, Korean automobile companies will have to lose a lot of money, factories may reduce production, and workers will have to lose their jobs.
The situation in Japan is similar, before the United States had threatened to raise taxes on Japanese cars, scared Japan to rush to negotiate, this time Trump is real, Japan does not dare to bet.
Faced with this threat, Japan and South Korea can only bite the bullet and talk. The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Resources of the Republic of Korea quickly issued a statement, saying that it would speed up negotiations for mutually beneficial results. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba also held a meeting, saying that he would continue tough consultations but didn't want to compromise easily. But to put it bluntly, there was no way. After all, he had to rely on the United States for security, and he didn't dare to really tear his face.
But anyone with a discerning eye can see that this is naked robbery. In the past, the United States pretended to be the big brother, but now it is plucking geese and not letting go of a penny. Trump always feels that he is the most profitable, and regards international exchanges as doing business, but in the eyes of others, this is unruly robbery. Allies are holding their breath in their hearts, but they just dare to be angry and dare not speak out.
This practice of only looking at money has long forgotten the so-called friendship of allies. In the final analysis, it is because of its own strength to bully Japan and South Korea and dare not resist. Such an "advance payment" requirement has never been a reasonable appeal, that is, using power to force the other party to pay.
References:
Trump said: Japan's 550 billion US dollars and South Korea's 350 billion US dollars must be advance payments.--2025-09-26 15: 52 · Observer.com