Trump Knocks Back Japan—China’s the Real Player

Trump takes the mic on Fox News, and he doesn’t mince words. The anchor’s pushing the line—Chinese diplomats threaten to “behead” Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. They want Trump to pick a side: China or Japan, ally or adversary? 

Feeling the heat, Trump chose to shrug it off instead: “A lot of our allies are not friends either. Our allies took advantage of our trade more than China did.” He reminds the host, casually but firmly, “But look, I get along great with President Xi. I get along great with China. But the only way you're going to get along well with China is you have to deal from a position of strength.”

Let’s call it as it is—Trump doesn’t need to say Japan isn’t a friend. It’s written between the lines. Japan doesn’t stack up against China. With Xi, the U.S. gets the goods: trade, economy, rare earths. Japan? Zilch. Not only no upside, but they set sneaky traps—like asking the U.S. to tumble down Japan’s rabbit hole.

Abe’s Gamble: Taiwan Means Trouble for Japan

Back in 2021, Shinzo Abe dropped the bomb: “If Taiwan’s in trouble, so is Japan. And that pulls in the U.S.-Japan alliance too.” Why? China’s muscle makes reunification inevitable. Abe insists, “If Taiwan faces invasion, Japan itself is on the line. And it’s not just about us—it flips the switch on the U.S. alliance.”

The Chinese Foreign Ministry torches Abe’s theory: Japan started the war of aggression against China. Japan has no right to mouth off about Taiwan. Play with fire, and you’ll get burned.

Now Takaichi jumps in, guns blazing: “Japan will exercise its collective self-defense if Taiwan’s attacked.” No retreat, no fuzziness. She insists Japan can send troops to meddle in China’s business. Is Japan really that bold? Not a chance—it’s about dragging America in with them.

Japan’s played this game before. In 2015, Abe pushed through the Peace and Security Laws—the “New Security Laws.” Now Japan can claim limited collective defense. Before, their constitution nailed the SDF to “defensive only.” Attack the homeland? SDF responds. Anything else? Tough luck. 

But the new laws open a loophole: If trouble hits the region—like Korea or Taiwan—but skips Japan itself, can the SDF fight next to the U.S.? That’s the gray zone. Takaichi, bold as brass, jumps the gun, answering for America: “If Taiwan’s in trouble, Japan and the U.S. are in it together.” If it happens, she says, the SDF will “presumably” fight shoulder-to-shoulder with U.S. troops.

If America lets Takaichi loose, the blowback could be fierce. Japan is America’s front line in containing China—over 53,000 U.S. troops, 120 bases—number one for overseas U.S. deployments. Theoretically, America can’t ditch Japan. But cross-strait watchers see it clear: Beijing’s military parade on September 3rd proved the PLA can hit the U.S. homeland, no sweat. So Trump lays out the cards: “Both China and America play from a position of strength. The China-U.S. friendship? It lasts forever.”

Reunification is coming—no question. Trump gets it: Whether China and America clash depends on U.S. moves over Taiwan. Trump wants to do business and keep the peace. If he’s smart, he should just spell it out: America backs China’s reunification.

But Japan just won’t sit down—they decide to jump into the fray, hoping to get their shot. Here’s the twist: for China’s reunification, the first move isn’t Taiwan—it’s pulling Japan out of the picture. Japan’s made it clear: “If Taiwan’s in trouble, SDF deploys.” That leaves two doors: First, the U.S. withdraws from both island chains, including its bases in Japan, and the SDF stands alone against China—deal with the fallout yourself. Second, China and America fight, but it won’t be doomsday—just a contest for first place. Hitting each other’s home turf? That’s mutual destruction. So if there’s ever a clash, the ideal battleground is on Japanese soil.

Trump’s weighing his options, but he’s not biting on either outcome. He’s still working his “King of Deals” mantra, angling for a deal with China. As for Japan—well, if you ask for trouble, you get it. Who else goes to hell if not you? Be careful what you wish for.

Deep Blue

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The “decapitation” hype just hit fever pitch. Here’s the bold new chatter: Japan’s defense officials told local media that if the Fujian carrier ever enters the Taiwan Strait, Japan’s Self-Defense Forces should team up with the US military and put sinking it at the top of their to-do list.
  
This is what some war games lay out: If China ever expands its strikes from Kyushu and Okinawa all the way down to the Nansei Islands—plus every US base along the chain—Japan would recoil into defensive mode. And then, Taiwan has no choice but to do the same, as well as the US. Suddenly Tokyo, Taipei, and Washington are all in the same foxhole. The old “defend Taiwan” story morphs into an East Asia mega-battle, where there’s zero daylight between countering threats to Taiwan and threats to Japan.
 
That’s why, as Taiwan commentator Lai Yi-chung pointed out back in July 2023, everyone needs ironclad, three-way security channels—whether defending Taiwan, Japan, or America.
  
Solid logic, the old Russian doll theory: If Taiwan’s in trouble, so is Japan, so is the US. Back under Abe, nerves in Tokyo were already frayed, serving the right wing a golden opportunity. When COVID still stalked the world in 2022, Japan mapped out a plan for 1,000 anti-ship missiles—that’s three for each of China’s 300 warships (now nearly 400, more than even America fields). Their message was clear: Chinese carriers are to be sunk before they ever manage to sail. Taiwan’s mainstream loved it. Double insurance from both the US and Japan, island stability—no need for unification nor independence. Case closed.
  
Then came reality—the Fujian carrier entered service, and shattered this stack of Russian dolls to dust. America sobered up first. The others? Not even worth a footnote.
  
Punchline to the War Game
Last weekend, China Central TV pulled back the curtain: “2 Seconds, 20+ Years—The Untold Grit Behind Fujian’s Launch.” Here’s the money quote from the expert: “Sure, our carrier jets can blast off in two seconds. But getting to that moment took more than 20 years of grit. At the start, plenty doubted. Foreign giants spent decades and still fell short. Could China pull it off? Turns out, yes we can.”
  
The narrative’s heart-tugging, but the real story is buried in the specs. Qiao Jia, who led the Fujian’s construction, spells it out: Unlike Liaoning or Shandong, the Fujian is China’s first homegrown, catapult-equipped aircraft carrier. And it doesn’t just use any catapult system—it’s the world’s first with a conventional-power electromagnetic catapult. Every inch of that tech pushed China’s engineers to the brink, and they didn’t blink.
 
Here’s the cold, hard takeaway: Don’t just stare at the Fujian in awe, or obsess over the road China traveled to get here. The killer fact is, after more than 20 years of grinding, China now owns this tech—and its world-class manufacturing machine means the next Fujian-level carrier could roll out in two years, one year, half a year, or even just two months.
  
No Magic, Just Muscle
Why should anyone take China at its word? Are the claims real—or just bluster? Against nonstop foreign skepticism and a wall of Western tech barricades, CCTV lays it bare: “We started from zero. No playbook. No shortcuts. Real power tech isn’t handed down or bought in a back room. Only by blazing new trails, daring to outdo the world, grinding in silence, and refusing to quit can we keep smashing ceilings—and locking core tech in Chinese hands.” In short, that “Made in China” label? It’s the one thing no rival can beat.
 
Let’s cut the magic act—there’s no David Copperfield here. Think Japan’s top brass wants to wait for a Trump comeback to “sink Fujian”? By all means, keep waiting. If you’ve got the nerve, then step up and show us.