11 February 2017

News Story: Japanese politicians, scholars criticize Abe's "tribute diplomacy" with Trump

TOKYO, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is to hold a formal summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Friday, during which he is reportedly to present Trump with a number of ways Japan plans to work with the U.S. on trade and job creation.

While Abe claimed that he wants to "build a strong relationship of trust with Trump," many politicians as well as scholars here have criticized and cast doubts over the effects of Abe's "tribute diplomacy" with Trump.

During the summit, Abe is reportedly to present Trump with a five-pronged plan, called the "U.S.-Japan Growth and Employment Initiative," which sets out to create up to 700,000 jobs and new opportunities worth 450 billion U.S. dollars over the next 10 years for the United States, according to local media.

"Trump wants to impose tariff on Japan-made automobiles, but (Abe) now wants to promise to invest huge money in the U.S. infrastructure. This is indeed tribute diplomacy," said Seiji Mataichi, Secretary General of the Social Democratic Party.

"Japan has made a catalog of tributes before Abe set out for his meeting with Trump, including forcibly pushing forward construction work of the U.S. base in Henoko, Okinawa despite strong opposition from local people, as well as the promise to create 700,000 jobs for the U.S.," said Kazuo Shii, head of the Japanese Communist Party .

"Japan itself saw domestic jobs for regular employees decreasing, but Abe is now trying to create more jobs for the U.S.... Such a gesture of offering tributes from the Japanese side would only make Japan more subordinate to the U.S.," he said.

Trump has previously accused Japan of devaluing its currency and blasted Japan's top automakers, including Toyota, for unfair trade. He has also taken aim at Japan for not paying enough for U.S. military forces to be based here.

Read the full story at Xinhua