Donald Trump’s Return Will Be a Political Headache for Japan
After Japan’s ruling party suffered an electoral setback in October, Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru also has to deal with the return of Donald Trump. Japan’s role as a US client state puts it on the front line of an escalating confrontation with China.
Japanese prime minister Ishiba Shigeru speaks during a news conference at his official residence on November 11, 2024, in Tokyo, Japan. (Kiyoshi Ota / Getty Images)
In late September of this year, the veteran conservative politician Ishiba Shigeru took the reins of government in Japan. It followed his victory in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) contest for party president, which made him ipso facto Prime Minister.
A month later, Ishiba’s team went to the polls for national elections. The LDP and its coalition partner Komeito suffered major losses but managed to stay in power as a minority government.
Then, in early November, US voters chose Donald Trump as their president. Both developments were big news in Japan, but in retrospect, the Trump victory far outweighed in significance the Japanese events. Trump’s return to the White House will add another set of complications for Japan’s subordinate alliance with the United States.
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