Ex-IMF Economist Advises Japan to Strengthen Non-U.S. Ties

   By Adriana Reinecke
   Washington, Aug. 12 (Jiji Press)--Former International Monetary Fund Chief Economist Maurice Obstfeld has advised Japan to strengthen its cooperation with Asian and European countries, given disruptions to the global economic and financial order caused by U.S. policies.
   In a recent interview with Jiji Press, Obstfeld expressed concern that President Donald Trump's administration has taken policy measures, including high tariffs and tax laws, that expand the federal debt and unpredictability, thereby undermining confidence in the dollar.
   He also said such actions are driving trade partners to deepen integration with countries other than the United States. "It will ultimately look attractive to countries to divert their trade links toward deeper integration with other trade partners, just in the interest of protecting themselves from mercurial U.S. policies," Obstfeld explained.
   Looking forward, Obstfeld stated, "The world is not going to return for a long time, if ever, to what it was before 2017," when the first Trump administration was inaugurated.

(2025/08/12-13:43)