When the new Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae took office, he ushered in the first major diplomatic test-meeting with US President Trump.
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The first diplomatic highlight of the new Japanese Prime Minister sanae takaichi after taking office fell on the 40-minute meeting between Tokyo Guest House and US President Trump.
The meeting began with the remembrance of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's death - high-market dedicated to send a signature basketball bag that Shinzo Abe used for golf balls and Matsushima, while Trump praised her "will be one of the greatest Prime Ministers."
These interactions with personal friendship seem to be the "warm foreshadowing" of diplomatic occasions, but in fact they pave the way for the signing of the subsequent two core agreements, and the game of interests between the United States and Japan hidden behind the agreements has long laid the groundwork for previous consultation differences.
The finalization of the two agreements was the result of months of resolving differences between the two sides. The agreement on Japan's investment in the United States, as the core content of the July trade agreement, had previously been in dispute over key terms: the United States claimed that the US$550 billion investment "is the money of the United States," controlled by US-led funds, and 90% of the proceeds belong to the United States. All; Japan insists that investment must benefit local companies and requires the United States to implement tariffs at a "total tax rate of 15%" rather than imposing an additional 15% on the current tax rate. This disagreement led to the urgent cancellation of Japan's visit to the United States by the Minister in charge of Economic Regeneration.
Until this meeting, the two sides only defined the framework: investment focused on energy, AI, key minerals and other fields, Japan also promised to buy American soybeans, Ford F-150 pickups, and even specifically exhibit pickups in the reception hall, Toyota also said to import cars from U.S. factories, accurately responding to Trump's demands.
Another key mineral agreement targets supply chain control, and plans to reduce dependence on external resources through cooperative mining and processing, after all, these minerals are directly related to the life of industries such as chips, new energy equipment.
The agreement was signed smoothly, but the "mess" that Gaoshi has to face in China has surfaced. As soon as she took office, she announced that she would advance the goal of "defense expenditure accounting for 2% of GDP in 2027" to this year, but the source of funds has always been vague.
Japanese government debt was heavy, inflation rate in September has risen to 2.9%, people's cost of living continued to rise; if the increase of taxes or reduction of social security money, inevitably provoked discontent. More difficult is, her cabinet in Congress foundations weak, and Japanese public opinion has described the investment of $55 billion as "in the fire chestnut", fears the funds face the risk of out of control - the U.S. established investment committee has the final decision-making power of the project, the Japanese side can only participate in consultation, refusing to fund may also be countered by tariffs.
After the talks, the two inspected the "George Washington" aircraft carrier at the US Navy base in Yokohama, a move better than the text of the agreement to illustrate the substantive changes in the US-Japanese alliance. Yokohama is the core base of the U.S. military in the Western Pacific, and Trump took the high market on board, both demonstrating military strength to prove "protection capability", and also suggesting that Japan has turned from "protected" to "participant" - Japan has recently not only cooperated with US military actions, but also participated in base maintenance and intelligence sharing. But this "participation" cost is clear: the U.S. has asked NATO to raise defence expenses to 5% of GDP, the goal of 2% of Japan is obviously dissatisfied, and subsequent pressure has
High City wanted to continue Abe's US line, she had previously stated that if the agreement does not conform to Japan's interests can be renegotiated, but after taking office will clearly observe the existing framework. But now the situation is very different from Abe's era: Abe's regime is stable, can find a balance between the US compromise and domestic interests; High City both to deal with debt, inflation domestic pressure, but to meet Trump's requirements, in the hands of very little code. Trump praised her as a "winner", but from the details of the agreement, Japan is more like being tied to the U.S.-Pacific layout "chess" - the U.S. needs Japan's economic strength and geographical position, but will not give such a voice.
Next, what the high market has to face is to implement the agreement promises one by one: $550 billion investment should be injected according to US rules, and defense expenses should be increased, but domestic opposition and financial holes should also be filled. This talk, which has been rendered as "opening the golden age", is still the old routine of Japan exchanging economic concessions for security endorsement. Only this time, the unequal clauses of the agreement have worried Japanese public opinion, and the internal and external pressure that Takashi has to shoulder is heavier than that of previous prime ministers; Under the appearance of the "firm" U.S.-Japan alliance, there is Japan's deeper and deeper passivity-if you want to rely on the United States to "support the scene", you have to continue to pay a price, and this price will eventually be passed on to ordinary people.