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Japan should brace for 'leaderless era' as U.S. turns inward, PM adviser says

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By Linda Sieg

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as U.S. global leadership gradually withers,

This is 4 years too late!

Japanese leadership is worried because now they have to deal with a president that is truly experienced and knowledgeable about international relations.

Abe and company got away with being called a "leader" in the world when Trump was in office, but Suga and company wont get away with it when Biden takes over!

They have to plant the seeds of doubt now.

15 ( +22 / -7 )

For Suga adviser Takeshi Niinami, chief executive of drinks giant Suntory Holdings Ltd and a well-known regular on the international business circuit, Biden's promises to restore U.S. ties with international institutions and allies are welcome.

Takeshi Niinami, chief executive of drinks giant Suntory Holdings Ltd, is a vested interest.

Takeshi Niinami, chief executive of drinks giant Suntory Holdings Ltd, has no political or diplomatic

experience or credibility,

The man is noted for retailing beers, wines and liquor...

14 ( +14 / -0 )

Why does Japan need Joe Biden to lead them? Lead yoursleves.

11 ( +13 / -2 )

Here is where political influence begins and end.

US defense spending compared to other countries

https://www.pgpf.org/chart-archive/0053_defense-comparison

The United States spends more on national defense than China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, and Brazil - combined.

Takeshi Niinami ignorance is frankly. an embarrassment.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Both countries have been pretty much leaderless for the past few years.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

Leaderless? Trump's already out but the damage has already been done.

6 ( +18 / -12 )

Surely Republicans are the great isolationists. Baby Bush declared such intent on entering the WH until 9/11 happened. The incumbent chancer, with his strategy of gaslighting (let's face it) practically everyone who didn't stroke his own ego, isolated America not only to the outside, but to its own people.

6 ( +12 / -6 )

Japanese leadership is worried because now they have to deal with a president that is truly experienced and knowledgeable about international relations.

Precisely, Obama sanctions against the Yakuza effectively crippled the Japanese underworld economy. Folks in Marubeni and Olympus now can't launder their money internationally anymore. People often overlook the important implications of Obama's decision in 2008. Yakuza activities compose a huge percentage of Japanese economy that went shadowy for decades as many people barely know. Americans simply crippled the Japanese underworld economy for good! Now, foreign investors can come to invest in Japan without fearing any retribution from the Yakuza - except for Ghosn's case which is more complicated to explain.

Biden will continue what Obama started on Japan. He will force Japan to tear down any protectionist barrier, in the realm of finance and equities, to allow all foreign forces getting a piece of Japan. Trump is easy because he only focuses on the commerce side, which Japanese leaders didn't sufficiently satisfy the unpredictable man.

Both countries have been pretty much leaderless for the past few years.

The US still has the all-powerful Congress and capable Presidential Cabinet who know how to do things. When Trump has been golfing, the USA is well-oiled and operates autonomously without the President. The US doesn't need any leader, and it is still fine. Meanwhile, Abe and Suga didn't do anything along with the Japanese parliament. Japan never had a leader since 1945 as every major decision in the country always has to be consulted with the Pentagon and the Trilateral Commission.

The USA is dying on its feet. A recent Cambridge University study (https://rb.gy/re7thi) found that polarisation and tribalism in the USA is now approaching levels of ethnic parochialism seen in Bosnia and Kosovo. Another pre-election study by Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences (https://rb.gy/4abfiy) concluded that Democrats and Republicans showed levels of distrust similar to that which exists between Palestinians and Israelis.

As a fierce critic of American elitism, I hardly think that the USA is on the level of decline and Balkanization yet! Every global billionaire and elite says that no one should bet against the USA. Ray Dalio is the exception because he accepts the Chinese money and helped to build the Chinese financial sector in the past - he is pretty much a Chinese shill. Warren Buffett or Jeff Bezos will continue to treasure the USD and put their assets in the USA.

People say that the Singaporean or Japanese passports are the most powerful ones in the world; however, I disagree because the American one is truly the most powerful. Just look what the Japanese citizens got executed by ISIS! If they were Americans, then the USA will dispatch a massive military force to rescue their citizens. The US has the most powerful military in the world, and it will continue to grow. Hardly, anyone can challenge the US in an open warfare, except Russia. I excluded China because they aren't actually as powerful as many people think, aside their small nuclear arsenal.

More than 50% of the American population never ever participate the elections, so the data can be highly skewed as well. People will only abandon the US hegemony when they can't make money and global stability isn't ensured. At the moment, Americans completely ensure both elements, so the threats of collapse for USA aren't there.

Takeshi Niinami, chief executive of drinks giant Suntory Holdings Ltd, is a vested interest.

Takeshi Niinami, chief executive of drinks giant Suntory Holdings Ltd, has no political or diplomatic

experience or credibility,

The man is noted for retailing beers, wines and liquor...

Not a complete surprise to see guys like Takeshi Niinami bought into the Asian century (Chinese) craps. Suntory's profitable portfolio is all in China and Vietnam, the master Communist countries. Executives of Suntory kowtow at the Communists as their new sugar daddy masters, while Americans have stopped giving Japan free money long ago. Keidanren is also the big believer of Asian century myth as well, and they have been lobbying non-stop for friendlier relations with China and Vietnam.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

Leaderless? Maybe. But anyone would be better than Trump. I really don’t see any difference between Trump and a 10yo schoolyard bully. Oh wait there is a difference. 10yo’s have the capacity to grow and mature and learn from their mistakes.

5 ( +13 / -8 )

Trump was fighting CCP well but don’t expect Biden the same way.

I think you may be fooling yourself. Mr. Biden calls Xi Jinping a "thug". There is no love. The pivot to the Pacific, meaning the movement of forces from the Atlantic to the Pacific to counter China, was begun during Mr. Obama's second term of office. A lot of new weapons now coming on line entered development ten or twelve years ago as part of that pivot to the Pacific.

What I don't expect Mr. Biden to do is disparage America's allies but will instead consult with them to form a unified front against the Chinese. Europe and Asia have been looking to the US for such leadership. I also do not see a Democratic administration looking the other way at the concentration camps in Xinjiang, the suppression of Hong Kong and Tibet or the recent suppression of Mongolian language and culture in Inner Mongolia.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

America, from the Moon to the bottom of a political trash bin on fire. How to destroy a once greatly looked upon nation for its great achievement and advancement in just 50 years.

This is truely a dark path the America has set itself on one that could bring extreme conquences not only for itself but for the rest of the world especially if the situation gets worse and spirals into conflict. To my knowledge the only other nation was The Soviet Union during the 1991coup to have civil unrest in a greatly nucleararmed nation. Just that fact makes any threat of conflict within Americas boarders a great threat for not only its people but for the rest of the world.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

The "leaderless" expression is provocative, but means "no global leader", which is probably what we've had for a while anyway. Were the actions and outcome of the USA in Syria, Iraq, or Afghanistan those of a "global leader"? Bolivia and Venezuela even? It is not the power it once was.

Giant Haystacks makes a great comment about polarization within America and it would be foolish to think it comes with no cost. To go further, the example of Rwanda shows that you do not even need ethnic or religious differences to set people onto one another.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Some politicians are salivating puddles for money, power, vanity and all. Does Joe Biden or Kamala Harris fall into any of these categories?

4 ( +9 / -5 )

Niinami is just saying out loud what other countries are thinking.

The USA is dying on its feet. A recent Cambridge University study (https://rb.gy/re7thi) found that polarisation and tribalism in the USA is now approaching levels of ethnic parochialism seen in Bosnia and Kosovo. Another pre-election study by Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences (https://rb.gy/4abfiy) concluded that Democrats and Republicans showed levels of distrust similar to that which exists between Palestinians and Israelis.

Hard as it is for some to accept but this all pre-dates Trump by a long time. The pandoras box of identity politics that the Democrats have so wholeheartedly embraced is just the latest - and most dangerous - illness to attack the diseased American nation. Added to this, their 4-year campaign to delegitimise Trump's presidency (rather than try to understand what led people to vote for him in the first place) will have destroyed even further the dwindling faith in the US democratic system and ensured that the gulf of political division continues to grow apace.

Other countries would be well advised to try and shield themselves against the toxic spillover as this epic identity crisis pushes the USA ever closer to Balkanisation. The rest of us can but look on as the nation that brought you social media, Big Macs and the atomic bomb literally eats itself alive.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

"Leaderless era"? Oh puhleeze, Trump is president until Jan. 20, then Biden or he will be sworn in.

Suga needs to start being big boy and leading Japan its own way. He is Prime Minister afterall, or is he the Governing General of his Washington overlords?

Can't be both Suga-san.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Biden is the president elect and becomes president Feb 20.

Make that Jan 20.

Great damage has been done to America both internally and with its reputation externally by the Trump era.

Trump abandoned the world and vacated the "leader of the free world" position that America had maintained for decades. America has little moral ground to lead with now and it will take time and America leading by example to claw some of that back. While it maintains for the moment its military clout the gap continues to get smaller. America will rely more and more on its traditional allies to help keep the bad guys at bay by stepping up and spending more on defense and embracing new allies. It will help for Europe, Japan and other traditional allies to spend more on military research as the cost can not be born by one nation with the worlds highest debt. The threat is real for a world governed by autocrats rather than democracies and for freedom loving people that is the worst possible outcome.

The time is fast approaching where it may be necessary for freedom loving people to stand up to a wave of hostile nations intent on building an empire at the expense of the weaker, smaller nations.

The future, as always is not set in stone and could be very bad, status quo or if we are all very lucky it may turn out very good. Prepare for the worst but hope for the best.

Biden could be the start of a new American era and many in the free world need that to be true. The alternative is horrifying.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

The US is suffering from a level of division not seen since the civil war and is facing massive structural debt that has no clear solution. Japan and the rest of the world are basically on their own - no matter who is president.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

The man is noted for retailing beers, wines and liquor...

Indeed. We've just had four very painful years of a businessman in the White House.

2 ( +8 / -6 )

ReasonandWisdomNipponToday  07:17 am JST

What about Japan?

Nothing will change. Unless Japan wants to become and take on the responsibilities of being a Nuclear power on it's own. That while memorializing the A-bomb dropping in WWII. Seeing how even just simply correcting the second paragraph of Article 9 receives so much objection, Japan could go nuclear in about maybe 200 years.

In the meantime the US Nuclear Umbrella, which protects other US allies like Australia and SKorea as well, will continue to protect Japan from it's 3 close nuclear armed neighbors.

Regardless of political party or national direction, the US-JPN strategic alliance has not changed for 75 years.

Don't use Trump's unpredictability as representative of the United States.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

@blue in greenToday - the Presidency was filled by the lawfully elected winner in 2016 and the other side did everything in their power to undermine and delegitimise it. How can you therefore expect the Republicans to bow out gracefully now that that precedent has been set?

When two respected global institutions are concluding that polarisation in the USA is approaching levels seen between Palestine & Israel and Bosnia & Kosovo I think "dramatic" language on a Japanese website is the least of your problems.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Fox News killed America. It turned 70 million Americans brains into bowls of white rice. People like Lou Dobbs, Tucker Carlson and Fox and Friends morning team who intentionally appeal to the 66% of non-college educated Trump loyalists.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

@Septim Dynasty -

Just look what the Japanese citizens got executed by ISIS! If they were Americans, then the USA will dispatch a massive military force to rescue their citizens

Like they rescued James Foley, Daniel Pearl, Steven Sotloff, Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Japan DOES have it's own leaders, despite leaders saying they have to prepare for a leaderless era, and despite the leaders here not doing much leading at all. Maybe it would be a good time for them to start. And no, that doesn't mean dumping money that should go into social programs into the military -- it means LEADING.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

In some sense, Suga is correct in that Donald Trump, the GOP, and the majority of Trump supporters have tarnished the reputation of the United States. How can a "no-masker-in-chief" expect to be a leader during a global pandemic? Good news is Trump won't be POTUS anymore after January 20th, however it looks as though he could be staging a coup and will refuse to leave the White House. THAT is why the US is losing its credibility and respect around the world. Shame on Trump and his supporters, including those that write pro-Trump comments on JT.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Trump is not out yet, you are sadly mistaken.

But the media said he was out and they make the rules.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Was talking with an old friend about the election over here, and he asked me what to think about those who would vote for an idiot. The best I could come up with is that one could hope that those who choose to vote for an idiot are not necessarily idiots themselves. That is the best I could come up with.

Growing up, I constantly wondered how the people of Germany could have supported someone as evil as Hitler. The best I could come up with was that they supported him out of ignorance of his actions. Later, after I went to Germany myself and met Germans who had supported Hitler, I decided that the important thing to realize is not why people supported Hitler, but that they did. When I looked into the faces of people who actually loved Hitler, accepting that they loved him, and that they had to be dealt with, was the realization I came up with. We must never ignore the reality that racist white-supremacists are a significant proportion of the population.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

What about Japan?

We should continue our relationship and alliance with the USA.

We should also prepare for all outcomes and possibilities.

America went from Bill Clinton to George Bush, then Obama which was followed by Donald Trump... now they have Joe Biden?

So unpredictable is America.

Their commitments are unpredictable.

Trump got out of Paris agreement... Now Biden might join again?

This country goes from extreme Left to extreme Right every 4 to 8 years.

0 ( +14 / -14 )

There could, in the future, come a time for the need that Japanese Government considers the necessity to develop an independent tactical and strategic deterrent.

This would not, I believe, require change/revision to Japans Constitution, if the threat presents a clear and present existential danger.

However, for a deterrent to have any effect, the perceived enemy, would need to believe the Government of Japan would, without hesitation, launch a strike.    

Now, there’s the rub, judging for my own J family, not one would countenance such a scenario.

Even the hand full of right-wing goofballs.

My late Grandmother, I witnessed her own passing, first time I have experienced death, up close, did broch the subject in her memoirs.

However, on the occasions I have attempted to broach the subject, I am virtually consigned to the cupboard under the stairs. A preverbal Harriet Potty.

Japan, its people have genuinely, fundamentally changed, politically.

They would rather squirt a water pistol than launch nuclear weapon.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

To be fair, Japan has had 3.5 years practice.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Japan should brace for 'leaderless era' as US turns inward, PM adviser says.

Leaderless era? This is an insult to the new premier. Does that mean US has always been the 'true leader 'of Japan?

Come on, Tokyo, never mind if US turns inward, it is time for you to stand upright to call your own shots, to be fully independent..

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Well the above idea is GOOD in talks but NOT in reality!  People please look at what is real!

See today's Japan is NOT the "Meiji Japan"! Japan has a MASSIVE ELDERLY populations, huge number of people were old and weak! The young Japanese were having a very heavy burden on shoulders at now living under safe haven of "Article9"!

If Japan wants to get nuclear arsenals, that's is a really dire financial burdens! If Japan goes nuclear armed,the Chinese must cut dies with Japan and that means NO TRADES with Japan! Japan is heavily relying exports to China! Do you think the Chinese will buy any Japanese products anymore!? Without the Chinese market, the Japanese economy must DIES!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Far more than the US , it is Japan that suffers being leaderless!

Japan can never turn to China due to its lack of morality and criminal activities.

Japan will never change for the better as long as there are geriatrics running the show. Here.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@Desert Tortoise

I think you may be fooling yourself. Mr. Biden calls Xi Jinping a "thug". There is no love. The pivot to the Pacific, meaning the movement of forces from the Atlantic to the Pacific to counter China, was begun during Mr. Obama's second term of office. A lot of new weapons now coming on line entered development ten or twelve years ago as part of that pivot to the Pacific.

It’s indeed a worrying aspect of a Biden presidency. As much as Trump was disastrous on many fronts, perhaps one of his best qualities was that he had NO taste for starting any wars. People might not remember, but during the 2016 campaign there were some scuffles in Syria and Clinton vowed to immediately enforce a no fly zone (i.e., to shoot down Russian airplanes). If Clinton had won back then, there’s a chance we would have had WWIII already.

I dread further US military involvement in the Pacific and enforcing of its increasingly absurd claims of influence there.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

"Takeshi Niinami, chief executive of drinks giant Suntory Holdings Ltd and a well-known regular on the international business circuit..."

It is indeed significant that Suga would turn to the man who runs the company that gets you plastered after a hard day. Is it possible that Niinami is going to be Suga's Joe the Bartender? Maybe it will be a good thing. Seriously. Niinami is more worldly than out of the sticks Suga, for what it is worth.

One thing neither of the two understand is that the U.S. is now where it has been since the end of World War II--the making and breaker of nations. The inwardness of the U.S.'s domestic life has always been for the interests of the rich--which accelerated Reagan.

Let us hope the U.S. does not tangle with China.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Who will be leaderless? Japan? That sounds like a slacker teenager about to graduate high school.

Hey Suga, Japan!

How about you guys grow a pair, gain some initiative, use your minds, not follow the pack, get some confidence and lead the way. Why are you worried about what the USA is gonna do or not do? Shed the old "traditional ways" that don't work or are completely outdated. Improve and adapt where ever is necessary and start building up this country into a powerhouse again.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

China is going to gain more money and more power in Asia and Africa.

China is going to become more influential with or without American interference. US 2020 trade deificit with China with Trumps trade war and tariffs is still expected to be over $350billion, China isnt the problem its Americas addiction to cheap imports, if China doesn't make it itll be Vietnam,Cambodia, Indonesia Burma Thailand etc etc. there are at least a dozen countries that can manufacture at a fraction the cost of America, as long as Americans want cheap goods US companies will find the cheapest countries to manufacture those goods

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Perfect. Exactly what Japan wants.. right?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Septim Dynasty, it is indeed no revelation, there is a valid debate to be had in Suga san willingness to be inclusive in his choice of advisers to include successful leaders from the business community.

My bark ou,t is Takeshi Niinami, quote, has an exceptionally strong interest in protecting or promoting something to one's own advantage…..

Now, it is this supposition….

"Japan must continue deepening the U.S.-Japan alliance but at the same time establish its relationship with the world in order to ready itself for a leaderless era," said Niinami.

Takeshi Niinami displays clear conflict interests.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The US will start to throw cash (borrowed) and defense agreements to the world and it will be like Trump was not even on office to the world stage. Biden might be up for a few international awards after a couple of days in office.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Like they rescued James Foley, Daniel Pearl, Steven Sotloff, Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller?

The US did attempts to rescue and negotiate for their releases. The US isn't Superman or Flash to solve everything in a flash.

Meanwhile, Japan doesn't even bother to try.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Fox News killed America. It turned 70 million Americans brains into bowls of white rice. People like Lou Dobbs, Tucker Carlson and Fox and Friends morning team who intentionally appeal to the 66% of non-college educated Trump loyalists.

All they did was provide a megaphone. People like that and their point of view are a lot older than I am, and I'm old enough that my first car had no seat belts, a flathead engine and an AM only tube radio. TV was still black and white with a maximum of 13 channels that you had to get up off the couch and change channels by had, clack, clack, clack as you turned the dial. The anti-UN, anti-foreign trade, anti-immigrant, white supremacy point of view is as old as the US. Faux News just cheerleads this point of view. If you look at US history, there have been equally corrosive newspaper barons like William Randolph Hurst.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

 If Clinton had won back then, there’s a chance we would have had WWIII already.

Russia will not challenge the US to a direct military confrontation. They know they would lose. Russia today is not the USSR. While the USSR military was never particularly well trained or high quality (2 year conscripts 98 percent of which serve no longer than the minimum 2 year hitch, 3 years for the Navy) and during Soviet times fully 1/3 of their armed forces were from regions that are now independent countries like the "five 'Stans" and spoke no Russian whatsoever. Today what you have in Russia is a nation with a standard of living below that of Mexico (and Mexico has a much larger manufacturing sector than Russia has) with a somewhat large army, small and out of date navy, old air force and a lot of old nukes. They don't have any staying power and they know it. Mr. Putin plays an aggressive game of cards but he would fold his hand if the US dealt him a significant military drubbing. Don't forget there was a night in Syria when the Russians lost hundreds of fighters who badly misjudged the US and attacked a US Army outpost. No war resulted.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The US is suffering from a level of division not seen since the civil war and is facing massive structural debt that has no clear solution. Japan and the rest of the world are basically on their own - no matter who is president.

The structural debt has a very clear solution. That is to cut some programs and raise taxes. That these choices are politically unpalatable doesn't change the fact that they are available to the US. The overall tax burden in the US, meaning local, state and Federal revenues from all sources as a proportion of the US GDP is about 28% of GDP. Federal revenues from all sources run 14-15% of GDP. This is the third or fourth lowest tax burden of the three dozen most developed nations in the world, meaning the members of the OECD. Only Turkey and Mexico have consistently lower tax burdens, and on occasion either Japan or South Korea may be one percent lower than the US.

The OECD average tax burden is around 36% of GDP, which is closer to total government spending as a percent of GDP. The simple cure to the US budget deficit is to raise taxes to the level other nations are paying. Before you cry in horror consider that the standard of living in many of our higher tax competitors is actually higher than that of the US. They also have a more productive workforce when measured in terms of output per hours worked. US workers work far more hours than the Europeans but US output per hour lags most of its competitors. Tired workers with inadequate health care options who are foregoing treatment for lack of money don't produce.

Also consider that the US spends two to three times as much of its GDP on health care than those of its competitors, 18% of GDP where the OECD average is 9% of GDP. If the US had a heath care delivery system along the lines of it's European and Asian competitors that would free up a lot of money consumers now spend on medical care to fund deficit reduction. Just some things to think about, but don't say there is "no clear solution". That is simply not true.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Click bait. There's nothing to this article...

The nightmare that was the Trump Presidency is over - the nightmare where we coddled dictators and insulted friends and allies - those that shared our values of democracy and freedom.

Whether the tribalism that was fomented by the disinformation attack by Putin will continue is an open question - the attack will certainly continue - Putin's No. 1 goal is to destabilize NATO and keep the US divided internally.

Hopefully the millions that voted for Trump and fell for the disinformation campaign will realize they were duped by a hostile foreign power - and put their country before their cult of personality...

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Love all the doom and gloom. Sound like a bunch of nationalists and fanaticism.

Everything in the past year were so unpredictable. Trump was not fighting China, (pretending as he has done for 4 years). His daughter got 10 or more exclusive patent deals in China, DOTUS getting a golf resort on a great Island with China's money, as with Putin in the west. Fell in love with KJ UN.

By not understanding Democracy and its methods with a republic, is a very difficult concept.

Things will change of course and it will not be for the worse but for the better.

The world is in a chaotic state due to mother nature and Autocrats/Oligarchs driven by greed and power.

Bidens election is a growth in Democracy and a fresh breath to the world. Trump is a lesson learned again as we keep putting in Authoritarian, fascist, oppressive and totalitarianism to keep upsetting the will of the people and we tolerate oppression and turn our backs. While crimes against humanity and genocide endure.

We have a leader now that is a man that fought hard through trials and tribulations: Loss of wife and Daughter in auto accident, son beau died of cancer, survived a massive brain aneurysm almost died.

Harris will be awesome very intelligent, not rich came from the streets of Oakland Ca, which was a dangerous place. Her whole damily is awesome and they worked hard. Her dad left them when she was young and she still succeeded.

Have faith world. Keep positive!

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun, alright

Everything will be alright!!!!!!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@Giant Haystacks,

No need for all the dramatics.

It's a simple thing.

The truth will out.

The Presidency will be filled by the lawfully election winner.

Suga and all the world leaders who prematurely congratulated Biden, have shown a fair bit of ignorance of America's Constitution, and gullibility in the media as the final word.

It isn't.

If there is one thing that Trump has showed us, it's this.

There are no journalists, only propagandists.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

The Trump delusion syndrome is so strong that by pointing out some of the foreign policy wins that the president may have achieved over the past four years is immediately shutdown , emotionally denied, screamed at and tainted by such a bias that its near impossible to discuss. You have to be part of the Trump Hate Club otherwise you too are a bad person. A movement based on hate. Alarm bells ringing.

Do those infected by this reflexive bias actually believe that he got everything wrong? It is really that black and white? Is that a healthy mindset? Could things be perhaps a tad more layered and nuanced?

I could never have imagined how people become so hysterical about an obvious provocateur, and myself and many others I imagine started looking for evidence of the counter narrative, of which there was plenty to be found. ( In the spirit of Mark Twain, when one finds oneself on the side of the majority it’s time to pause and reflect. ) Trump certainly pushed some buttons that’s for sure!

Sincerely happy that it seems the Trump Trauma is over for you guys though. Now we get to see how his successor fairs.

If a guy like Biden is going to have any sway over anyone on the international stage and whether world leaders will actually take him seriously is going to be interesting. But that doesn’t really matter, and as previous comments suggest the Japan/ American alliance has pretty much stayed on course for decades now regardless of who is president. The region is heating up though so let’s hope Biden and his team pull out some serious skills. We shall see.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Leaderless, hmmm strong word but what most people don't realize the world has been without leaders for quite sometime now. The global world is run by Group of Money. The richest call the shots not the politicians. The loss for Trump was pretty simple he costs them too much profits. Biden on the other hand makes money for them and himself via his son and investment funds in China. Same applies for Harris's fund company owner in China. Japan is no different with Hatoyama, Ozawa and many others heavily invested in China. Already Okinawa has proven that with the Chinese backed funded companies using Japan companies to slowly wade the waters. Yeah the signs are there but people just not paying or simply ignoring the signs.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

The sooner the US bows out of international stage, for whatever cause, the better. Nothing but trash have come out of it for the last two decades.

Japan and the rest of Asia can put China on check, no big deal. China already peaked anyway

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Yes , inward turn has made leaderless.

Trump was fighting CCP well but don’t expect Biden the same way.

So it’ll be necessary for Japan to make stronger tie with other countries for defence of Indian-pacific security.

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

So far as foreign affairs, Biden-Harris are essentially Bush-Cheney 2.0. Lots of CIA actions, plenty of war - big money for the war profiteers.

-6 ( +5 / -11 )

Leaderless? Trump's already out but the damage has already been done.

Trump is not out yet, you are sadly mistaken.

-8 ( +5 / -13 )

What could happen to Japan after Biden took office is just a disaster in international stage. China is going to gain more money and more power in Asia and Africa. Japan is going to be weak and weak. Biden will never help Japan. Because he is a puppy of XI. Now what Japan can do is go nuclear. Make warheads and Missiles. Never listen Biden's words. That is a trap. End of the American power.. America is going to fade in the history....

-26 ( +10 / -36 )

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