Kawakami Takashi in Kaigai Jijo No. 3-4, linked Trump’s chaos to America’s decline, leading to a breakdown in the world order. Giving rise to this is the power shift between Washington and Beijing, which is accompanied by a civilizational transfer from the West. US fatigue from the fight against terrorism has accelerated this shift. Instead of ideology, civilizational elements are in play, serving to boost nationalism in the context of globalization. For Japan, sober analysis is needed on how China is filling the vacuum left by the United States, with the danger that any misstep could endanger the country’s existence. As Trump tries to strike a deal with China, more effort is needed to strengthen trust in the alliance, which could fall into crisis as Japan fears abandonment. While systemic issues are raised, Trump is blamed for recent troubles.

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