Trump and Abe meet amid war and domestic crisis
18 April 2018
US President Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are holding their two-day summit this week at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida in the aftermath of the US-led airstrikes on Syria and amid sharpening geo-political tensions globally, including throughout Asia. While both men have touted their good personal rapport, cracks in the relationship have been emerging over key issues, especially trade and North Korea.
Abe and Trump head deeply unpopular, right-wing regimes that are seeking to overcome their mounting economic and political crises by whipping up nationalism and militarism. The two longstanding military allies are united in their determination to contain and confront China, but are increasingly at odds over the means for doing so.
Trump’s escalating threats of trade war against Beijing pose economic dangers for Japan which relies heavily on China as its number one trading partner and cheap labour platform. Moreover, Trump is targeting not only China for trade war measures, but also Japan and other countries that have surpluses with the US.
Abe is certain to press Trump for exemption from the latest US aluminium and steel tariffs that shocked Japan and other allies, particularly as they were imposed on the grounds of “national security.” Trump, however, was openly menacing towards Japan, declaring that Abe has “a little smile.” “And the smile is, ‘I can’t believe we’ve been able to take advantage of the United States for so long.’ So those days are over,” he said.
Trump cut across Abe’s economic agenda from day one of his administration by repudiating the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), in which the Japanese prime minister had invested a great deal of political capital. The…