A new era for America has begun with Donald Trump’s second term as U.S. President, and questions about the historic U.S.-Japan relationship as we enter the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II go beyond the answers at hand.
Whether it will be a new golden age for America or not, the next four years are definitely going to be more consequential and certainly transactional as the Trump administration puts America first.
Trump’s politics are transactional in a way that’s never been more overt and the game is no longer about validating or caring for existing relationships, whether allies or not. The U.S. has just reset to “pay to play” for everyone — including Japan, which must take notice after decades of a softer approach focused on values and mutual interests.
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