Business leaders relieved as Trump avoids criticism of Japan

February 12, 2017

Tokyo- Japanese business leaders are relieved that US President Donald Trump refrained from criticizing Japan over trade and monetary policies at his first summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held at the While House on Friday. Japanese business leaders plan to closely watch developments on a new economic dialogue that Abe and Trump agreed to create to discuss ways to boost trade and investment between the two countries. They also aim to continue highlighting contribution of Japanese companies, mainly automakers, to the US economy in a bid to avert trade friction between the two countries. Speaking to reporters in Kosai in the central Japan prefecture of Shizuoka, Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda said that his company “will continue efforts to win US understanding.” Sadayuki Sakakibara, chairman of the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, said in a statement that it is of great significance to bilateral relations that Abe and Trump have been able to deepen their relationship of trust. Sakakibara also expressed hopes that the new dialogue will help the two countries lead efforts to build a free and open international economic order, while sharing benefits from economic and job growth. Keisuke Hanyuda, an official of Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting LLC, said that although Japan was able to avoid criticism from Trump this time, there remains the possibility of the president attacking Japan. “Japan needs to prepare more strategic plans,” he said. (Jiji Press)