Why has Japan fallen out of Trump’s good graces? Will Japan close a deal with the US before tariffs take effect? And how will the upcoming Japanese election impact relations?

To find out, ChinaTalk interviewed Professor Tomohiko Taniguchi, a longtime observer of US-Japan relations and former advisor to the late Shinzo Abe.

We discuss…

Why 1970s trade competition is still impacting US-Japan relations today, and how Japan could create “Wow factor” when dealing with Donald Trump,
How Shinzo Abe used golf, dinner parties, and history lessons to cultivate a close personal friendship with Trump,
The roots of Japanese resolve in dealing with PRC aggression,
The emergence of Russian disinformation surrounding the Japanese election,
The political economy of the Japanese Self-Defence Force, and how Abe managed the controversy surrounding his reinterpretation of Article 9.

Co-hosting today is Charles Litchfield of the Atlantic Council. Thanks to the US-Japan Foundation for sponsoring this episode.

Outro music: Shinji Tanimura - Left Alone (YouTube Link)

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