Japan Faces Challenge of Stabilizing Ties with U.S. under Trump

   Tokyo, Jan. 3 (Jiji Press)--The biggest challenge for Japan's foreign policy this year is to stabilize relations with the United States, where Donald Trump is expected to make drastic policy changes under his "America first" agenda when he returns to the White House.
   "Japan and the United States have different national interests. However, there must be some common ground. I want to build a win-win relationship," Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said in a speech last month at an event sponsored by the Research Institute of Japan, a Jiji Press affiliate.
   Ishiba, who has described the alliance with the United States as the cornerstone of Japan's foreign and national security policy, plans to meet with Trump in February or later after he is inaugurated. Ishiba's diplomatic ability will be tested to see if he can build a relationship of trust with Trump and put the Japan-U.S. alliance on a stable track.
   Before the start of his first term as U.S. president in 2017, Trump repeatedly criticized Japan and even threatened to withdraw U.S. forces from Japan. A Japanese government official said that Trump may this time press Japan to increase its defense spending by threatening to raise tariffs.
   Another focus is on whether Japan and South Korea can maintain the momentum to improve their relations as this year marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

(2025/01/03-17:20)

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