Ishiba’s Handshake with Xi Angers Trump, Stirs Economic Concerns

On November 25, incoming President Donald Trump announced on his social media that he would impose an additional 10% tariff on Chinese products. This measure is said to be a countermeasure against the influx of synthetic drugs, such as the opioid fentanyl, which has become a social issue in the U.S.

Additionally, he declared that a 25% tariff would be imposed on Canadian and Mexican products until illegal immigration and the flow of drugs are stopped.

In response to this, on November 26, the Nikkei Stock Average fell, particularly among export-related stocks, dropping by more than 700 points at one point compared to the previous day.

Trump Takes an Adversarial Stance Toward China

“If tariffs can be imposed at the discretion of President Trump, it could affect other countries, including Japan. The stock market likely dropped sharply due to the widespread sense of caution,”

It was already well known that Trump harbored an adversarial stance toward China, but just mentioning tariffs caused the market to collapse. This highlights the need for Japan’s strong diplomatic efforts to align with Trump’s interests.

However, the crucial issue is that Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has yet to meet with Trump. They only had a brief phone conversation after the election.

A political reporter for a national newspaper.

“If the hardline approach toward China progresses, many will see it as an opportunity for Japan. Japan can continue to be an important partner to the U.S., but the concern lies in Prime Minister Ishiba’s demeanor and conduct,” 

He expressed his anxiety.

 

Prime Minister Ishiba, who visited Peru for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, was criticized for shaking hands with sitting world leaders using only one hand while remaining seated and for playing with his smartphone alone.

However, on the other hand, during the Japan-China summit, when shaking hands with President Xi Jinping, Ishiba grasped Xi’s right hand with both hands. From the photo alone, it looked like he was a subordinate to China.

Yoichi Takahashi commented on this matter on his YouTube channel on November 22:

“With the Trump administration now filled with hardliners in China, at a time like this, they’ll think, ‘Hey Ishiba, are you getting along with China?’ and it will make things even harder. This is bad.”

He sounded the alarm, saying that among all the prime ministers in history.

“By far, the worst. A sloppy cabinet.”

He dismissed Ishiba as this.

Lacking common sense and indifferent.

It’s not just the handshake incident.

At the welcoming ceremony, he was the only one among the leaders with his arms crossed. When walking on the red carpet at the G20 venue, his tie was askew.

In past videos, he stuffs as many rice balls into his mouth as possible and eats it with a vacant expression. During the pandemic, he made his aide remove their mask to wear it himself.

In the cabinet’s official photo, his attire was sloppy. During the prime minister nomination at the Diet, he was caught sleeping, among other controversial actions, which is why high school teacher Takahashi described it as a sloppy cabinet. On top of that, if Trump were to label him as pro-China and get angry, diplomatic relations with the US would deteriorate.

What is his actual personality like? According to a reporter from a TV station’s news department,

“People who have interviewed Prime Minister Ishiba, and I spoke to a few of them, all say, ‘He was really a nice person.’ It’s not that he’s being rude or making bad remarks on purpose, but rather, he just lacks some common sense or is indifferent. Once he becomes prime minister, he’ll be in the global spotlight, so the videos circulating on social media are just drawing unnecessary attention.

That said, as the prime minister of a country, he needs to be more disciplined, or else the national interest could be at risk. Prime Minister Ishiba has shown interest in revising the ‘U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement,’ which hasn’t been updated since its conclusion in 1960. He said in the party leader debate before the general election that he would definitely make it happen. This could potentially provoke Trump’s wrath.”

So while his character is one thing, there’s concern about a diplomatic crisis.

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with Trump first and managed to maintain a good relationship, but what will happen with Prime Minister Ishiba?