Japan Today
politics

Japan tees up Abe's ex-interpreter to help chart course with Trump

46 Comments
By Tim Kelly and John Geddie

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© Thomson Reuters 2024.

©2025 GPlusMedia Inc.

46 Comments
Login to comment

A new phrase, hobotora, meaning "likely Trump", has gained popularity in Japanese political and media speak in recent weeks, supplanting moshitora, or "possibly Trump".

Abenomics had as its main feature massive corporate tax cuts and corporate welfare, same as Trump's 2017 bill, and had similarly disastrous results on the budget and widening economic gaps.

Takao "rendered the Japanese leader's upbeat staccato into resonant English, even while clinging to the back of a racing golf cart", Matt Pottinger, Trump's former deputy national security adviser, wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed in July 2022.

Interpreters probably have a harder time with Trump's non sequitur bloviation.

9 ( +16 / -7 )

Trump only speaks in superlative con artist word salad, so good luck Takao san!

17 ( +23 / -6 )

A new phrase, hobotora, meaning "likely Trump", has gained popularity in Japanese political and media speak in recent weeks, supplanting moshitora, or "possibly Trump".

This week, about 10 new Japanese words have been added to the Oxford dictionary.

The OED lists 552 Japanese loanwords in English, dating from as early as the 16th century.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

So Japan Inc now officially think that Trump is good for Japan? Try to win his heart in anyway they can?

-15 ( +2 / -17 )

His credentials aside

Takao will likely be used, then discarded via email, spoken about with disdain, then later might write a tell-all detailing the extreme madness of X-45, perhaps providing details of the various fraud schemes he was forced to be involved in in Asia and throughout the globe.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

. . . their campaign is beset with so many court dates, and criminal arrests . . . perhaps it's time to cover all possibilities, and consider who will translate the words of the other candidate(s) . . . ?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Repeat of what they did to Obama. If the table were turned and the Dems sent over someone to make a love call to the opposition party in Japan before an election, would this be considered an affront? You betcha...Japan has always been a klutz in foreign affairs, and this is again front and center.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

OMG who is reminded that we had a (ex) prime minister assassinated not long ago. RIP

-12 ( +2 / -14 )

So, Japan has called a Trump victory?

Great!

-13 ( +3 / -16 )

If the guy can interpret Trump's incoherent stream of consciousness then he is a modern-day Dr Dolittle.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

“What’s a covfefe?”

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Yeah, we better do a background check on this interpreter. Any gambling?

And yes, Japan is this article is already trying to declare Trump president. It's not going to happen.

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

So, Japan has called a Trump victory?

Great!

No - Japan is expecting and preparing for a Trump win in November. It is prudent to start preparing now, and Takao seems perfect for the role. He has a good relationship with Trump.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

SHOCK is NOW, massive global inflation, failed states like Afghanistan, wars, record deficits, high interest rates. Plus, talk of WW III with Russia & global terror on the rise.

There was no and will be no shock with Trump Admin, his track record included no new wars, low inflation and global stability. That'll be far easier and more pleasant to translate than the current Biden Admin disaster!

-14 ( +3 / -17 )

And yes, Japan is this article is already trying to declare Trump president. It's not going to happen.

Betting markets like Trump's chances, turns out most voters don't like high prices, inflation, failed foreign policy/wars, open borders and high crime.

Far easier to translate Trump success than Biden failures, VERY pleasant SHOCK in store for world for a change!

-8 ( +4 / -12 )

Trump will not seek a Shock Increase the Money Supply approx. 50% in his first year like Biden Admin in 2021, causing global inflation and interest rates to take off like a rocket, destroying most currencies like the Yen.

Translating Trump's global stabilization policies will be far easier as the results will drive greater success rather than the opposite.

-10 ( +3 / -13 )

That's cool. Japan has an interpreter who can handle 5th grade level English.

11 ( +16 / -5 )

Takao-san won't find interpreting in prison as much fun.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

there shall be no 2nd trump presidency. far too many republicans don’t want him.

don’t worry about it.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Japan tees up Abe's ex-interpreter to help chart course with Trump

Interesting. This story ran 3 days ago, but the JT runs it today. I guess you have to look for the Bridge collapse in the USA, somewhere else.

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

Despite lacking fluency in Mandarin, Takao in 2021 was appointed political counsellor in Japan's embassy in Beijing,

LOL, As if the current US Ambassador to Japan can speak Japanese.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

Is the interpreter fluent in narcissist gibberish?

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Translating Ivy league educated Trump is far more challenging than Delaware State Biden. Especially as Biden's ability to speak rather limited, given his cognitive decline, detailed so fully in Special Counsel Hur's report.

Dr. William Kelley (Chapman, 2017) called Trump the dumbest student ever. Students said Trump rarely came to class and was always unprepared. The family friend who gave Trump special permission to get into the U of Penn later said he regretted doing so (Fearnow, 2019). After all, as a child, Trump was a failing student until he was sent to military school because of incorrigible behavior. In military school, anyone who committed a dishonest or disruptive act was called “DJT" after the student who had the worst record (Miller, 2016).

7 ( +10 / -3 )

But, of course, a good many of Trump's disciples can understand him whatever he says because they deludedly imagine he is speaking in tongues, praising their god.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

*new phrase, hobotora, meaning "likely Trump", has gained popularity in Japanese political and media speak in recent weeks, supplanting moshitora, or "possibly Trump"*

...... Wow!! The Japanese media has made Trump..The Tiger .....

Likely The Tiger; possibly The Tiger

Really!!!??

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

HopeSpringsEternalToday  08:41 am JST

There was no and will be no shock with Trump Admin, his track record included no new wars, low inflation and global stability. That'll be far easier and more pleasant to translate than the current Biden Admin disaster!

Of course there were no new wars. It was a pandemic that Trump couldn't handle. Ridiculous claims about COVID-19. He let millions of Americans die on his watch. Lets not forget his Quid Pro Quo that set up the war with Ukraine.

Unfortunately, what most of you are betting on is that voters have the memory retention of a Tik Tok video. You are hoping that we forgot. If Trump even tries to have a debate with Biden, he'll be destroyed. He can't risk it. Then you'll have to sit on the sofa and watch Trump lie through his teeth. We've got receipts.

I dare Trump to debate Biden. I hope he does, so the Dems can refresh the memory of American voters.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Poor Takao San if Trump get the white house..

1 ( +4 / -3 )

In addition to the translator, you will also need a psychiatrist.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Understand Trump ?

Haha

Good luck with that eh !

0 ( +3 / -3 )

there shall be no 2nd trump presidency. far too many republicans don’t want him.

He’s ahead in the polls and polling better than he did in 2016

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Yes, political persecution, so desperate are the Dems to prevent another Trump presidency. But they will fail.

The Trump presidency was doomed to fail when SCOTUS took away a woman's right to make her own decisions based on her body. There just hasn't been an election yet for the Republicans to realize how badly they screwed up.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

He’s ahead in the polls and polling better than he did in 2016

At the moment, but many very recent polls are showing that lead shrinking from just a few months ago.

It’s of course too early to get carried away with polls this far out, but they are worth keeping an eye on.

Trump is of course facing legal and money problems in the months ahead.

A lot can happen in the months ahead.

Bookies now cutting Biden’s odds.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Now, as a second Trump presidency becomes a real prospect, Japanese officials are preparing to deploy the Harvard-educated Takao to bolster engagement with the Republican candidate's campaign ahead of the Nov 5 U.S. election, hoping to forestall any policy shocks for Tokyo.

Nice to see foreign countries prepare for the normalcy about to take place in the US.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Trump only speaks in superlative con artist word salad, so good luck Takao san!

He had better get used to it.

there shall be no 2nd trump presidency. far too many Republicans don’t want him.

Whereas far too many conservatives and blue collars to want him and Kennedy jumping in that race will help Trump get to 270

At the moment,

That won't change.

but many very recent polls are showing that lead shrinking from just a few months ago. 

And going up, Kennedy would put a nail in Biden's coffin

It’s of course too early to get carried away with polls this far out, but they are worth keeping an eye on. 

Trump is of course facing legal and money problems in the months ahead. 

A lot can happen in the months ahead. 

Bookies now cutting Biden’s odds.

Yeah, well whether across the pond or in the States, the polls look very bad for Biden.

https://www.realclearpolling.com/latest-polls/election#3

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

Interpreters in the limelight atm

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The Trump presidency was doomed to fail when SCOTUS took away a woman's right to make her own decisions based on her body. There just hasn't been an election yet for the Republicans to realize how badly they screwed up.

The Democrats just flipped a seat in a special election by 25 points, that Trump won in 2020, in deep-red Alabama, with a candidate that campaigned almost exclusively on abortion rights.

The Republicans have already lost in November. They think their culture wars are going to make women forget that they used to appreciate having bodily autonomy.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The Republicans have already lost in November.

Not on the issue of crime and immigration which are the concerns of the majority of Americans those outweigh every other issue.

https://news.gallup.com/poll/611135/immigration-surges-top-important-problem-list.aspx

https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/02/15/how-americans-view-the-situation-at-the-u-s-mexico-border-its-causes-and-consequences/

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

Americans are fed up of brutal inflation, ever growing defense spending, and the continued funding of an unwinnable war. These issues will not be alleviated by re-electing Biden. Despite Trump's repellent personality, he is seen by many as the lesser of two evils. Unless the democrats bring in someone new, Trump will be back.

-9 ( +0 / -9 )

To understand Trump you’d need a random word generator that can understand garbled syntax, a lack of subject or verb, and incongruous trips down fantasy lane at random intervals.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Americans are fed up of brutal inflation, ever growing defense spending, and the continued funding of an unwinnable war. These issues will not be alleviated by re-electing Biden. Despite Trump's repellent personality, he is seen by many as the lesser of two evils. Unless the democrats bring in someone new, Trump will be back.

I agree

-10 ( +0 / -10 )

Gosh with all these issues with interpreters recently; isn't it time that Japanese leaders took the initiative and learned to communicate by themselves in English?

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Japan's is starving for Trump's global stability agenda, that'll be easy to translate too! Lower inflation, lower interest rates, no new wars, resolution of wars and greater Private sector vs. Govt sector growth agenda!

Japan "poorhouse" Yen will benefit as well, translation? Japan will not continue to see its wealth and prosperity destroyed by Biden Admin policies!

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

DT always claimed that PM Abe is/was his great friend. Question: Do you pronounce your great friend's names properly? Please Takao san, explain to "this person" that the name is Abe and not Abi. Never once did he pronounce his great friend's name properly.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

If Takao doesn't work out, I know another translater looking for work.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites