Although the Japanese government has expressed its desire to strengthen ties with the Donald Trump administration, uncertainty remains over his unpredictable approach, according to a Japan-based political expert.
Trump has garnered supporters in Japan, driven by his campaign slogans and policies that resonate with certain political and economic views in the country.
In Tokyo, Trump supporters have been holding rallies to celebrate his return to the U.S. presidency.
Inspired by his "America First" policy, they argue that the Japanese government should take a similar approach and prioritize national interests.
"Trump taught us we should do 'Japan First' and we should stand by ourselves," said Yoko Matsuoka, a Trump supporter in Tokyo.
According to Paul Nadeau, professor of politics and international affairs at Temple University’s Japan Campus, Trump's unsettling unpredictability is a strategic move to gain leverage.
"We don't quite know what Trump wants to see from the U.S.-Japan relationship. We've seen tweets, we've seen statements, but we don't quite know what kind of deliverables he's expecting. And that's kind of the point with Trump -- he wants to keep things unpredictable because he thinks that creates leverage," said Nadeau.
Despite differing interests between the two nations, Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has expressed hope for a "win-win" relationship with the U.S., though Trump's stance on Japan remains unclear.
Both nations play key roles in the Asia-Pacific region and in regional cooperation frameworks such as the QUAD and U.S.-Japan-South Korea Trilateral Cooperation.
Nadeau explained that Trump prefers bilateral negotiations over multilateral alliances, which could affect frameworks like U.S.-Japan-South Korea cooperation. However, he noted that the Trump administration may still see strategic benefits in maintaining some partnerships.
"Generally, Trump likes to work bilaterally. He likes to work one-on-one, mano-a-mano. And generally, alliances or multilateral forums just aren't really his thing. So, there's sort of a general, abstract bias against frameworks like trilateral cooperation. But at the same time, there could be benefits to the United States that Trump administration may see as being worth keeping," he said.
Trump brings uncertainty to US-Japan relations: expert
Auto companies attending the fourth Electric Vehicle Innovation Summit (EVIS) in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), said that they are already exploring alternative solutions to navigate the challenges presented by the threat of U.S. tariffs.
The summit is taking place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from Monday to Wednesday, attracting nearly 200 exhibitors to showcase their cutting-edge technologies in the electric vehicle (EV) sector.
At the event, many auto companies said they have felt the disruption caused by U.S. tariff policies, emphasizing how the shifting global landscape might encourage a reorientation of market players.
"People go naturally to where it's more open and more easy. So of course, I would imagine that you're going to see less of the U.S. manufacturers and more of the European manufacturers coming into the market. Now the world is like a global village. Something happens somewhere, it's is going to affect somewhere else. We would love to have more certainty. But then we have to play with whatever cards that we have," said Abdelrahman Sami, Vice President of Business Development at Elegant Mobility, a company specializing in EV charging infrastructure, in an interview with China Central Television.
The sentiment was echoed by other industry leaders. Alhareth Alhisan, the founder and CEO of iCharge, a Saudi-based company specializing in EV charging solutions, shared his concerns about the instability of sourcing from the U.S. in light of potential tariffs.
"We get a lot of services, a lot of the technology companies from there (the United States). And I think it has been suspended already. So I don't think we are going to carry on taking from them, the same suppliers if we were to face these tariffs. Since that is on an unstable ground that we are facing with the U.S., we already looked for alternatives. We haven't gone forward with them, but they are there. When the actual tariffs are applied, we already have our alternatives," said Alhisan.
As the global EV market evolves, many companies are turning their attention to the Middle East, where demand for electric vehicles is growing rapidly. At the summit, several companies expressed optimism about the region's potential, particularly the UAE.
"The EV adoption in the UAE is growing rapidly. The UAE has achieved a good a market share of ICE-to-EV (internal combustion engine to electric vehicles). They have achieved 25-percent sales of the total car sales last year. [In terms of] our participation [in the event], this is the fourth time. I believe it's a really good platform to meet the industry experts, to meet potential clients," said Rami Abu Hayah, CEO of CATEC Mobility, another enterprise specializing in EV charging solutions.
Other exhibitors highlighted the strong supportive policies and initiatives driving the EV transition in the Middle East.
"We are quite optimistic about the EV seen here in the Middle East. A lot of policies, a lot of initiatives, now they are supporting the EV transitions here in the region -- that includes the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) and North Africa and the entire area and region of the Middle East. So we are quite optimistic about it," said Musab Hassan, marketing manager of Autel, a leading manufacturer and provider of EV charging solutions.
U.S. tariffs prompt UAE auto companies to seek alternatives amid EV transition
