Japan may be forced into bilateral trade deal with U.S.: ex-IMF exec

It is goog for Japan to be reminded once in a while it need to be more independent from US both economicaly and militarily. Trump is an opportunity.

Maybe Japan must sell U.S. Public debt !

Japanese investors buy treasuries because they think they're a good investment. If they sold them, they would need to choose to put their dollars in another investment that's not as good.

The EU gets it. Imagine if the EU were divided then each of those individual European countries will have much less negotiation power over trade with other countries, like with USA. But together, EU have much stronger negotiation power and can stand up to American trade attacks. Now, imagine if Northeast Asia stood together, South Korea, Japan and China together, they would have much stronger stand and negotiation power on any trade agreements with others. No nation or group of nation will have enough power to force trade agreement on SK+Japan+China when they stand together.

True, but also a pipe dream. Japan's leaders decided some years ago that they would always prefer subordination to the United States over subordination to China. Donald Trump's presidency hasn't altered that basic worldview of Japan's leaders. In the EU, second-tier countries like France and Italy are basically content with being subordinate to Germany. The fact that Germany is a stable multi-party democracy is the big reason why. There's just no way Japan's leaders will ever be comfortable being subordinate to China in a similar way, so long as China is autocratic and suspected of having hegemonic ambitions. And any arrangement that saw South Korea, Japan, and China truly standing together would mean subordination of the first two countries to the third, no doubt about it. Germany has become a de facto hegemonic power in Europe (at least economically), but it's well known that Germans are deeply uncomfortable with their country's status given what happened in the first half of the 20th century.

Well, what did they expect? that the "Please cooperate and do as we ask. We wish to be an exception" would work on Trump? SK gave in and agreed to take in far more automobiles and open up markets. That's how they were made exempt on tariffs. Why does Japan think it should be exempt without doing the same?

what to expect. Well varitiy.

As long as it does not end up as "Free Trade" for all products, but specific products, then an agreement makes sense. Each country has its own objectives and needs for it's domestic economy.

However, as much as IMF may have the expertise and the knowledge and understanding of both US and Japanese economies,and the financial power to influence economies and must protect the financial interest of IMF, it has to stay out of trying to "control" trade negotiations and try to force Free Trade on its members. For all we know, their "interest" is for their return on investment and not necessarily for the benefit of each clountry.

Trump will use such talks to demand more U.S. access to Japan's auto and highly-protected agricultural markets, he added. and whatever concessions Japan does give to the US the other 10 TPP members will demand the same, otherwise what is the point. Bit like Britain demanding better treatment from the EU while not wanting to stay in the EU.

The EU gets it. Imagine if the EU were divided then each of those individual European countries will have much less negotiation power over trade with other countries, like with USA. But together, EU have much stronger negotiation power and can stand up to American trade attacks. Now, imagine if Northeast Asia stood together, South Korea, Japan and China together, they would have much stronger stand and negotiation power on any trade agreements with others. No nation or group of nation will have enough power to force trade agreement on SK+Japan+China when they stand together.

This is Mr.Trump's 1000% of support Japan when hr boadted to Mr.Abe!

As long as we don't ship each other's tap water back and forth, seems like a good idea.

As I''ve said before, Japan is under the illusion that it is a ‘’favourite ‘’ of the US. Like every other country, in the eyes of the US every country is only there to be subservient to US demands. America First means American dictatorship, American domination and other nations subservient.

"America is the greatest country on the country planet"

Barry Seal, a TWA pilot, is recruited by the CIA to provide reconnaissance on the burgeoning communist threat in Central America and soon finds himself in charge of one of the biggest covert CIA operations in the history of the United States. The operation spawns the birth of the Medellin cartel.

And Japan has the greatest culture on the planet. China is just a big dollar store.

The geographically incorrect “America First” moniker should be replaced with “USA or U.S. First”. After all, America is the name of the entire continent.