Japan Jitters Over Trump After US Midterm Shift — SkimNews
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- Japan is bracing for potential shifts in US foreign and defense policy after Democrats won control of both chambers in the Nov 3 midterms, sparking fears of strategic instability in the Indo-Pacific.
- Trump may leverage foreign policy to regain political momentum, with analysts warning he could make high-stakes deals with China, Russia, or North Korea that risk sidelining US allies like Japan.
- Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara affirmed the US-Japan alliance remains central to Tokyo’s security strategy, but acknowledged growing concerns over Washington’s reliability amid domestic political gridlock.
- Tosh Minohara warned that Beijing, Moscow, and Pyongyang may exploit perceived US weakness under a constrained Trump administration, increasing the risk of regional military moves before the next US election.
- Satoru Nagao argued that Trump’s unpredictability still acts as a deterrent, though he highlighted rising pressure on Japan to increase defense spending as US budget battles loom under a split Congress.
- Japanese markets reacted sharply to the election outcome, with the Nikkei index dropping 4.8% intraday on Nov 4 over fears of stalled US tech infrastructure plans and supply chain disruptions.
Why it matters: Tokyo now faces higher strategic risk and financial pressure as US political paralysis could delay defense commitments and tech policy, forcing Japan to accelerate its own military spending and diversify alliances—while its firms confront market volatility from uncertain US trade and technology rules.
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