According to a report by Kyodo News in Japan, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe discussed the US-Japan trade negotiations during a street speech for his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Senate election campaign on September 9th.
Abe told the Japanese public that the trade negotiations are “a battle of national interests at stake, how can we tolerate being undermined by our adversaries?”
Shinzo Abe delivered a street speech in Chiba Prefecture on September 9th.
Abe stated that even if Japan is an ally of the United States, it must “speak up with dignity,” and the Japanese government will protect what should be protected.
He also mentioned that Japan is the largest investor in the United States, creating the most jobs. “Trump claimed during his campaign that his task was to help unemployed people find jobs again, and isn’t it Japan, not us, who has created the most job opportunities for the United States?”
Furthermore, Koichi Noda, the chairman of the LDP Policy Research Council, said at a political rally in佐贺县 on the same day: “Trump has been too much for us, and his tactics have been extremely malicious.”
On September 7th, local time, President Trump posted a letter on social media platforms to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, announcing that starting August 1st, the United States would impose a 25% tariff on all imports from Japan and South Korea.
Trump also warned that if Japan responds by raising tariffs, the United States would increase the tariffs by the same amount. However, he also mentioned that if Japan “opens its markets” and eases non-tariff barriers, “we might change the content of the letter.”
On September 8th, Abe expressed his regret over the announcement of the tariff increase by the U.S., stating that there has not yet been an agreement because Japan has not easily yielded.
On September 9th, Abe once again responded, saying that Japan will unite internally to protect its national interests and will not compromise on issues that cannot be compromised, never compromising on the agricultural sector of Japan.
Source: Chang’an Street Knowledge WeChat Account