Japanese less confident US alliance will improve after Trump’s second term — The Japan Times
In Japan, only 26% of respondents believe that the United States will become a better ally after the end of Donald Trump’s second presidential term. The results of a study by the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney were reported by The Japan Times.
Researchers surveyed more than 1,000 people in the countries of the Quad grouping: Japan, the United States, Australia and India. By comparison, 45% of Australians and 46% of Americans expect the United States’ role as an ally to improve after Trump.
The alliance is considered necessary
Despite their restrained assessments, Japanese people continue to consider relations with the United States important. For 36% of respondents in Japan, the alliance with the United States is more necessary now than ever. The same view was expressed by 44% of respondents in India and 49% in Australia.
At the same time, 53% of Japanese survey participants consider Trump’s second term negative for Japan, while 8% assessed it positively. The Japan Times notes that the US president’s transactional approach to alliances, as well as the use of tariffs or threats to impose them, have put diplomatic ties to the test.
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Less trust in US protection
Confidence in Japan in the United States’ willingness to provide assistance in the event of an attack by China has also declined. In 2023, 77% of Japanese respondents were confident of this, while in this year’s survey the figure fell to 60%.
China is considered a threat by 66% of respondents in Japan, while 28% called it an economic partner. A similar ratio was recorded in the United States and India: 55% of Americans and 59% of Indians consider China a danger. In Australia, 64% of respondents primarily see China as an economic partner, while 47% see it as a threat.
Relations between Tokyo and Beijing have deteriorated since November, when Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi publicly spoke about the possibility of Japan’s military intervention in the event of a Chinese attack on Taiwan. At the same time, the number of Japanese people who consider an armed conflict with China likely over the next 10 years has decreased somewhat.
