Japanese Negotiator (5:07)

What the shit the United States is saying is completely unreasonable. The logic is all over the place and there's no consistency. However, when Japan negotiates regarding what they're saying, well, to put it clearly, it's close to extortion by juvenile delinquents. If Japan gives in and follows their unreasonable demand, saying its negotiation or ordeal it will set a bad precedent and create a negative example. If the extorter gains money once it's certain that they will extort again, the formula itself is a complete mess. I wasn't great at math, but if that showed up in a math exam, it would definitely score zero. That's why although Minister Akazawa is serious and capable, there is also concern about whether a serious person can handle it. Since they are not reasonable, they won't listen to reasonable things. Although I said every option, you absolutely must not provide information to an unreasonable opponent. If you get concessions that way, it will set a bad example. Anyway, please do not give in today. Extortion from the US Though it's really bad to say, but this is extortion. If we listen to this, it will really become a bad example.

Productivity Expert (6:27)

So you ever sit down to work and your brain just won't cooperate? That was me for so long. I'd find myself getting distracted scrolling through social media, just totally unable to focus. Especially. Especially with a job like this where I need to stay locked in. Productive, creative and on top of the news. Distractions aren't just annoying, they can derail everything. Then I found Brain FM and it's been a game changer. Brain FM is an app built for anyone seeking to boost productivity. They create science backed music that syncs brain patterns, helping you focus better, relax deeper and sleep easier. I use their deep work and creative modes daily. It's like flipping a switch in my brain. There's even a turbo mode specifically designed for ADHD support. And this isn't hype. Brain FM is the only music company supported by a National Science foundation grant and just published a peer reviewed study showing their patented tech improves attention and brainwave synchrony. Unlock your brain's full potential free for 30 days by going to brain fm/midas that's brain dot fm. Midas, that's me. I d a s for 30 days free.

Political Commentator (7:28)

Going back to the other data point that I wanted to talk about with Trump's data disrespect as well. On was Thursday Donald Trump spoke where University of Alabama. He gave that disrespectful speech where he was like doing the. Remember he was doing that move. It was. The whole thing was just so utterly weird. Go back and watch the video that I did on that. Be like Ben, what the hell are you talking about? Go and watch it. But here Donald Trump says that the US can sell cars in Japan because it's tariffing the hell out of the United States. Japan hasn't imposed A tariff on car imports since 1978. Trump has no clue what the hell he's talking about.

Donald Trump (8:12)

Play this clip Pretty soon, sooner than most people think because that's what other countries have been doing to us. Just so you understand, they were tariffing the hell out of us. We couldn't sell cars in Europe, we couldn't sell cars in China. We couldn't sell cars in Japan or anywhere else. We could, couldn't do anything.

Political Commentator (8:28)

Now the Financial Times reported last week that Donald Trump is attacking Japan over a, quote, bowling ball test. That is that Donald Trump takes issue with. Where Donald Trump says in Japan, in addition to tariffing our cars, which they don't, they drop bowling balls. So what Donald Trump says, but is it crazy? They drop bowling balls on the roofs of our cars and then when the cars break, they say we're not buying American. Trump has, quote, puzzled trade negotiators in Tokyo after complaining about a test where he claims a bowling ball is dropped on a car. Japan does not carry out such tests. Here's from April 24, 2025. This was Charles Gasparino from Fox's Big Scoop. People inside the Trump White House are alerting Wall street execs they are nearing an agreement in principle on trade with India. According to my sources, Gasparina Warns, we've been here with Japan, but there has not been any deals yet with Japan. It's all market manipulation. They go tell this to Wall street, they spike the stock prices for a few days, then they get dumped. Main street gets hurt. And the billionaire oligarchs who get the tips from the Trump regime about when they're gonna message these things and not do them, they make money and we the people get absolutely screwed over these things. Right here. Japan's press secretary Kitamura Toshishiro, he was in the Philippines this past week talking about the bilateral relationships with the Philippines, broader relations in the region as well. Here's what he talks about in terms of dealing with Trump. And I want you to when you watch it, I want you to see how Japan's press secretary Kitamura Toshihiro just how composed he is and contrasted to Trump's behavior. Play this clip.

Japanese Press Secretary (10:28)

This morning our prime minister met representative of Japanese community here and they he heard the every concerns and opinions of local businessman and with regard to the US Tariff issues. Our prime minister had the telephone conversation with President Trump early this month and they have decided to establish to launch ministerial dialogue between two countries. And Minister Akazawa was designated as a chief of negotiator. And he had already once a ministerial discussions in Washington D.C. and now he's visiting to Washington D.C. to hold second round of this negotiation. And as for the U.S. tariff issues, I think that the tariff actions could affect a lot on the global economy as well as this free trade system. So we heard the concerns of the Japanese community this morning as well. And we based on those opinions, concerns, we convey our message to our counterpart of the US and we hope that we can find a good solution between two countries which is not only good for two countries, but good for the world, including Philippines.

Political Commentator (11:56)

And finally I had the opportunity a few weeks back to do this interview with the United States, the former US Ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel. And if you want, when do we, we did this in March, right? Mid March actually. I think we did it before the Liberation Day, you know, or liquidation day, I think, or right around then. We were warning about this months ago. Japan, China, Philippines. And it was important for me to give us the red, you know, to give you all the warnings because you could just follow the data. If you speak to the experts and you follow the data like if you follow the freight levels, if you follow the trucking volumes, if you see the ships aren't coming into the ports on the west coast, Long Beach, Seattle, East Coast, Boston, you go, oh crap, we're gonna run out of supplies. Yeah, it's gonna happen. There's gonna be a Tom Hanks moment. I call it a Tom Hanks moment. Remember Donald Trump said like a miracle, it's all gonna go away with COVID Then Tom Hanks got it like, oh shit, lockdown mode. We're going to have a Tom Hanks moment soon with stuff not being on the shelves. That's what's going to happen. Anyway. Here's former ambassador Rahm Emanuel to Japan. That's why we had to get him on. We need to speak to him about this. Here, play this clip.

Rahm Emanuel (13:17)

Japan's the number one foreign direct investor in the United States for the last four years consecutively, over a million Americans or a million Americans work for Japanese companies and nearly half of their investment goes to manufacturing. So it's a kind of, you know, we're going to kind of be penny wise and dollar foolish here. Second, you know, Japan hosts the largest military footprint the United States has anywhere in the world. It's the only country that has a permanent aircraft carrier. It is in the, it is the long pole in our deterrence against China in the Indo Pacific. And so, you know, nothing stays just in the economic lane. It's a relationship. So that means national security, diplomatic support, it means political support, and it means economic support and integration. Second, imagine this. When the United States wants to put further sanctions on China as it relates to export controls for high tech, the only way it's successful is Japan, Korea, Taiwan, the Dutch stand shoulder to shoulder with the United States. They're going to think real hard about whether we should stand with the United States or allow our companies to continue to export to China. So, you know, relationships don't just have one lane. It's a series of things. You weigh equities against each other. So I think this is very short sighted in this approach. There's a way you could have approached, as we did in years past, both when I worked for President Clinton, we did the five pillars on trade, et cetera. Japan now is the number one, as I said, number one foreign investor in the United States. Nearly a million Americans work for them and of those, half are in the manufacturing industrial space.

Political Commentator (14:52)

So powerful words from Japan saying ain't happening. We're prepared to use our treasury holdings if you dishonor and if you disrespect us. Also, as we previously reported, and Reuters and Carl Quintanilla did a good job of highlighting this too, the Chinese government sent a letter a few weeks back to Japanese Prime Minister Ashiba calling for a coordinated response to US President Donald Trump's tariff measures. They had a ministerial level meeting. Japan, South Korea and China. Does that sound familiar? Former President Biden brought that's why China did it. That's why Xi Jinping did it. He knows Trump's too stupid to get it. Former President Biden brought together those leaders in Washington together, side by side, shoulder to shoulder as a deterrent to China was the ultimate checkmate move. Donald Trump took the checkmates and like, took the ch and turned them into checkers and then put them all over his face like a fool. That's what happened. We'll keep you posted with more. But he can't do a deal with Japan. No deal. Donald can't do a deal with anybody. Hit subscribe let's get to 5 million. Can't get enough Midas. Check out the Midas+ substack for AD. Free Articles, reports, podcasts, daily recaps from.

Productivity Expert (16:21)

Ron Filipkowski and more.

Political Commentator (16:22)

Sign up for free now@midasplus.com.