Japan seeks way out of Trump's bad books on trade

"Tokyo wants Trump, who will become president next week, to see the merits of global trade, rethink his threats to impose a “border tax” on imports, and to stick to international trade deals on which Japan Inc bases its investment strategies."

Sorry, but the "This is what we want... please understand and cooperate! Look, we'll show you stats on how it benefits JAPAN as proof of why you should do it," doesn't work overseas, even though Abe and Co seem to think people will just lap up the logic they use at home to pull the wool over people's eyes.

And it doesn't matter how much they actually DO contribute to the US economy, if Trump does not get his way, and it will be unfair, Japan Inc will lose. Trump is going to say, "Let in US beef NOW!" along with other things, and try as they might to explain it he'll stop listening in two seconds and slap on tariffs. Japan Inc is never going to get away with trying to 'get others to understand'.

Tokyo wants Trump, who will become president next week, to see the merits of global trade, rethink his threats to impose a “border tax” on imports, and to stick to international trade deals

Oh my god! Look whos talking!!!!

Sorry, but the "This is what we want... please understand and cooperate! Look, we'll show you stats on how it benefits JAPAN as proof of why you should do it," doesn't work overseas, even though Abe and Co seem to think people will just lap up the logic they use at home to pull the wool over people's eyes. And it doesn't matter how much they actually DO contribute to the US economy, if Trump does not get his way, and it will be unfair, Japan Inc will lose. Trump is going to say, "Let in US beef NOW!" along with other things, and try as they might to explain it he'll stop listening in two seconds and slap on tariffs. Japan Inc is never going to get away with trying to 'get others to understand'.

Exactly! Good to see them

Right, a long Excel sheet; how uniquely Japanese.

“Japan is a country that lives by diplomacy and trade.”

Only when the countries that play by Japanese rules, otherwise it's another story.

Sounds as if JGov is on its knees trying to service 'The Donald'.

Why pander, gratify and kowtow to the vanity of one man? Let events take there course then react accordingly. Donald Trump retribution and reprisal will soon be vented towards the Government of China.

Still, some fear the Trump administration will have to learn the hard way by seeing the damage done to the U.S. economy from disruptions to a global supply chain.“It may take time for them to learn the lesson and it may have to be learned the hard way,” the senior diplomat said.

Japan had better wake up quick. Trump is no politician, and one other thing, the US can live without Japan, but can Japan live without the US?

It's funny how the japanese media always want to portray the US like a warmonger and feel afraid of americans/foreigner that lives in japan describing them as unreliable and potential criminals,and still foreigners have not the same rights as a japanese in this country even if we pay taxes and serve for the common good as well. But then when they need something that comes to their advantage japan Inc. plays the card: "we are peaceful we cooperate with the world,look how good we are" I'm no fan or supporter of Trump but Japan must learn that America and it's president can do what they want with their own politics,so how about the "peaceful" Japan works a little bit harder in human rights and treat foreigners with more respect rather than slaves and then sit on a table with the U.S. government and start talking? Hypocrisy in it's best

This will be quite entertaining, if nothing else, this collision course between Japan Inc and Trump. This is the first response and is in lieu of fully and sincerely opening up the market to that long list of strategic products and services protected behind tariffs and non-tariff and regulatory barriers. Next will be the special pleading that Japan's market is culturally unique and the Japanese consumer is particularly knowledgeable and discerning. They won't just buy any old cheese, you know, Toranpu-san.

I noticed rice isn't mentioned.

Donald Trump is an idiot and the Americans are not responsible enough to be allowed to vote seeing that they just gave the Red Button to such a person..

Japan, will buy a few aircraft. Invest a bit more in America and call it a day.

Armed with fact sheets on jobs created and investments made in America, Japan aims to give Donald Trump a crash course on its contribution to the U.S. economy in hopes of persuading him that Tokyo is different from Trump’s favorite trade target, China.

Persuading Trump with facts is like trying to impress a rock with a symphony - the rock doesn't care and doesn't have the faculties to process your argument regardless.

If you want the old serial bankruptee's attention, your only hope is to hire someone from the water trade who has a liberal body fluid policy.

Showing facts to Trump is probably a big mistake, he will probably lash out as he couldn't possibly comprehend them. Better for Japan to lower itself to Trump's level and appeal to him on emotional make America great promises like Softbank did. That'll shut the fool up for a year or so

What US exports does Japan need?

Genetically modified produce?

Coca Cola?

Beef?

Anything else?

BertieWooster wants to know what exports Japan would want from the U.S. well, sort of U.S., aren't we? Let's see, any Alpa camera or lens they can find...Gibson guitars...vintage Ronson Touch Tip Lighters, western toys, uh...surfboards? That's about it.

Dre Hund,

Agreed. That's about it.

There're arms and drugs, perhaps we should add those to the list.

If people thing Trump is a fool then they are the fools. It takes intelect to play the part (a fool) to get what you want. He is not a politican, he is a business man, don't get confused. He means business for the US, which as buissiness people know, when the US dose well, so does the rest of the world.

Some of the comments here read like a discussion between 5 year old's, ignorant at best.

http://www.asiamattersforamerica.org/japan/infographics/imports-exports

5 year old's what???

What US exports does Japan need?

Pharmaceuticals

Insurance services

Medical devices

Aircraft

Electrical machinery

Agricultural products

Animal feed...

Abe needs to make another diarama to explain it

JP trade: CN 300b$. Eu 1?0b$. Ru 30b$.....US ?

Abe + Trump. =. Manzai 2017 the year of the rooster ? Bring on the clowns.

5 year old's what???

Read the comments, talking about "what does japan need"

Genetically modified produce?Coca Cola?Beef?Anything else?

Ignorant

Let's see, any Alpa camera or lens they can find...Gibson guitars...vintage Ronson Touch Tip Lighters, western toys, uh...surfboards? That's about it.

More ignorance...

ebisen at Jan. 13, 2017 - 05:28PM JST Donald Trump is an idiot and the Americans are not responsible enough to be allowed to vote seeing that they just gave the Red Button to such a person.

Thanks for the indiscriminate jab in the eye of ALL Americans. If only you know the fact that more American voters chose Clinton than Trump, maybe you can go back to some closet self-loathing, or whatever tickles your fancy.

Let the good PR by Japan begin though that is not the forte of corporate Japan. Whether Japan has played by all the rules can be debated but certainly the perception that it has not by Trump & others will force Japan to perhaps change their strategy, A new sheriff in town means that from now on what was assumed is now being questioned not by some hack politician but but by a business oriented leader. Will be fun 2 watch.

Pharmaceuticals, Insurance services, Medical devices, Aircraft, Electrical machinery, Agricultural products, Animal feed...

Most of which are not what Japan needs but what US wants to sell.

I think the Japanese need to calm down... There is no need to panic.... USA is no longer the omnipotent superpower... there are other big players around..

Donald Trumps impulsive, impetuous twitter ranting/raving reveal a form of behaviour associated with a lack of self confidence, low self esteem. Any hint of criticism or denunciation is deemed disrespectful, provoking derisive contempt resulting in his twilight twitter tirades.

Donald Trumps lack of experience and knowledge that is politically intrinsic to the activity/workings prominent in state/systems of government will manifest in aggressive belligerence, so characteristic in Trumps type of behaviour..

An example is the article below. Donald Trump front and centre, utilizing his supreme business skills?. Or has Trumps self congratulatory conceit clouded the possibility that the wily slipperiness of SoftBank billionaire, Masayoshi Son has cunningly taken advantage.

Donald Trump’s deal to create 50,000 jobs in America looks a lot different on Day Two.......

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/12/07/a-japanese-billionaire-just-showed-companies-everywhere-how-they-might-profit-off-trump/?utm_term=.a9c5a0543e5b

The Government of Japan needs to approach the Trump administration through his advisers, focused but discreet lobbying,

Pharmaceuticals, Insurance services, Medical devices, Aircraft, Electrical machinery, Agricultural products, Animal feed...

And the US can say the same about Japanese products as well. Get your head out of the sand, both countries economies are meshed together, and for a very long time, the US over-looked Japanese trade tactics.

The government is worried, big time, but the condescending attitude that it is taking here, like the Japanese are looking to educate Trump about trade..etc etc etc? It's going to backfire if they dont watch out.

The game is up, after nearly 70 years. Following are the words of Steve Bannon, alt-right guru and the man largely credited with delivering victory for Donald over Hillary:

"I'm not a white nationalist, I'm a nationalist. I'm an economic nationalist. The globalists gutted the American working class and created a middle class in Asia. The issue now is about Americans looking to not get f—ed over. If we deliver we'll get 60 percent of the white vote, and 40 percent of the black and Hispanic vote and we'll govern for 50 years. That's what the Democrats missed."

Donald is far more likely to listen to a guy who talks like this than to some Japanese bureaucrat. I can easily picture how quickly fed up Donald would become as his Japanese counterparts passed out their cherished, carefully prepared and stapled printouts with charts and data.

But Trump says he doesn't like Japanese because too many show up for a meeting. (not making this up..)

Kind of pathetic to make comparisons like that. One thing that Japan truly differs from China is that Japan isn't independent from the US and pretty much doesn't have a choice, hence this "crash course/I'm good to you master". graph.