Taking a "Japan First" mindset is vital for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to build meaningful ties with Donald Trump, according to a former policy adviser to the U.S. president, whose second term is likely to see alliances rattled and a return of protectionist policies.
"It doesn't help to have a Japanese prime minister who is going to kowtow to the president," Ado Machida, who was involved in the first Trump presidential transition and is now based in Tokyo, said in a recent interview, noting he has advised the Japanese government not to rush to arrange a summit with Trump.
Trump, who was inaugurated Monday, expects the prime minister to be "Japan First," just like how his American counterpart pursues an "America First" agenda, Machida said. "And that's how you have a meeting of minds."
"You want someone who's going to be strong and who's going to tell him the truth and who's going to give him objective truths," he said.
The Japanese American served as director of policy implementation in the first Trump transition team for about eight months through February 2017.
Machida views Ishiba as in a totally different situation compared with 2016 when Trump, then a real estate mogul with no experience of public office, was unexpectedly elected U.S. president.
Then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe rushed to Trump Tower in New York less than two weeks after the election to meet with the president-elect and presented him with a golden golf club, paving the way for a strong relationship.
Ishiba initially sought to follow that playbook after Trump won the U.S. presidential election in November last year. But the idea was shelved, with a summit meeting now being eyed for the first half of February in the United States, according to government sources.
"I advised the Ishiba administration to not meet with President Trump early on. And why is that? Well, because this time around, President Trump knows what he wants from Japan," Machida said, citing issues such as a greater financial contribution by Tokyo to support U.S. troops stationed in the country and the dealing with countries' trade imbalance.
"If Prime Minister Ishiba is not prepared to respond in kind, it doesn't help, right? It's not a good, it's not a winning formula for a friendship or a relationship," he added.
The allies' ties may be tested during the second Trump presidency, amid concern Japan could be among the major U.S. trade partners slapped with higher tariffs, which he has threatened to impose to win concessions.
Noting that Trump looks at trade from "an American jobs perspective," Machida said the Japanese government and businesses must work together to highlight their investment in the United States over the years, how many jobs have been created, as well as future plans.
On the security front, Machida said he expects "quite tough" negotiations on Tokyo's financial contribution to support U.S. troops in Japan, with many Americans questioning the rationale of maintaining forces in countries such as Japan, South Korea and Germany.
The bilateral five-year agreement on the budget will expire in 2027. Trump, who in the past has called Japan a free rider on security, pressured the Asian ally to increase host-nation support during his first four-year term that ended in January 2021.
Japan may insist it is already paying the bulk of the costs for hosting U.S. troops, but more efforts are required to answer questions such as whether the public is prepared to fight to defend the country, Machida suggested.
"And if the answer is no, then the U.S. troops are nothing more than being a bodyguard. And if we're the bodyguard, then you should pay us not only 100 percent, you should pay us 200 percent of the cost of us being here," he said.
Describing Trump as "very interested in people," Machida said Ishiba's political career may be instrumental in sparking the U.S. president's curiosity.
The veteran 67-year-old lawmaker was long viewed as an outlier in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party before he won its leadership election last September on his fifth attempt.
Ishiba "ran four times, lost, but still kept coming back and running, and then finally became prime minister. To Trump, he's going to want to know, why did you do that, why were you so interested in becoming prime minister?" Machida said.
Machida acknowledged that the Trump-Abe rapport was established by spending time together, often playing golf, which built "a natural bond."
"Now, does that mean that Prime Minister Ishiba should bring out his golf clubs and brush up his golf game?" he said. "No, I don't think so. I think what's important is to figure out some way to spend more time with the president."
Machida is currently president of the Japanese subsidiary of Hard Rock International Inc, which operates cafes, hotels and casinos around the globe. He was also a domestic policy aide to Dick Cheney, who was vice president from 2001 to 2009 in the George W Bush administration.
© KYODO
13 Comments
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Guy_Gin_and_Tonic
It must be surreal for Japanese, who spent so much blood and so many tears building the democracy they have today, watch one of the countries that helped them towards freedom give up theirs so easily. Japan first indeed!
JJE
One can't put themselves first in a master-servant-style relationship when one is the latter.
How selfish of him. That's not how it works. Need to read the fine print.
リッチ
What are you taking about? Japan is based on the U.S. and the war machine it is. The Vietnam war and Korean war built Japan’s economy and it’s mediocre post wars management show Japanese haven’t been able to lead in Asia overall. The content running to the U.S. masters is amazing. I’ve lived all over the world and I have never seen so much sucking up to Washington political machine as the Japanese one. Yes America has surrender their freedoms to a nazi playbook but frankly speaking Japanese politics are so lame it doesn’t matter what they say. There is no actual influence in the world and it’s been that way based on the constant American presence in every aspect of Japanese political system. That’s frankly why most Japanese care nothing for the Japanese political system. Japan didn’t sweat blood making this country. It was enslaved by America at its will.
Roger Gusain
Trump doesn't like losers. He will probably wait until the next PM comes along.
OssanAmerica
As a servant of the CCP I guess you know what you're talking about.
voiceofokinawa
If all nations followed U.S. President Donald Trump’s own nation first policy, what would become of the world? Going back to that hasted colonialism and imperialism where the law of the jungle dominated people's mindset, thus resulting in wars and social insurrection? Does the world community like that?
リッチ
Yes Japan first. And follow the law. He is a convicted felon. Based on Japanese visa restrictions he is now allowed to visit. Let him follow Japan law. He is banned.
socrateos
Here is my advice to Prime Minister Ishiba:
Don’t worry about having a “personal relationship” with Trump.
Always focus on the long-term relationship between the two states, Japan and the USA, rather than on personal ties. Trump is merely a small hiccup in U.S. history. Ignore him if necessary.
Blacklabel
how many more ishiba’s will there be during Trump’s 4 years?
talk about a hiccup. Ishiba needs Trump, not the other way around.
Pukey2
I have a feeling this is more to do with the fact Trump is unlikely to be in a rush to meet Ishiba. Face-saving before the egg hits the face. I don't think any of the Biden puppets in Japan, South Korea or the Philippines were invited to the inauguration.
WoodyLee
Yes that is TRUE, Pres. Trump said in his speech during the first term that America will be first and you should do be doing the same your countries.
This mindset is the only reason why your people elected you.
Blacklabel
Any country that DOESNT put themselves and their own people first is what?
That’s common sense to do so.
fallaffel
All countries do this already, but pretend otherwise for the sake of diplomacy. You can't win an election if you're not looking out for your own voters first. Japan excels at the pretending part.