Politics Japan and Trump 2.0

[musicisgood]

I believe if that many countries ban products from being made in the USA. I say "ban their products also", but as someone here has said, the world has a world economy, sorry it does not. Travel the world and you'll see what Trump has said since his early days. What are Americans supposed to do, what till every American city crumble like breadcrumbs.

 

[mdchachi]

The speed at which new trading alliances are developing that will make US petulance irrelevant is encouraging. The Republicans have misjudged this very badly.

It's not really "Republicans" except in the sense that they are all sitting back quiet even if they don't agree with what's going on.

We are on the path of the end of American hegemony. This part of David Frum's interview is inciteful.

Travel the world and you'll see what Trump has said since his early days. What are Americans supposed to do, what till every American city crumble like breadcrumbs.

What are you talking about? When's the last time you've been to any American cities? I have no problem spending time in Detroit. 1975 or 1985 Detroit, not so much. What did Trump say since his early days?

 

[thomas]

We are on the path of the end of American hegemony. This part of David Frum's interview is inciteful.

Thank you for sharing this. Definitely insightful.

 

[Lothor]

It's not really "Republicans" except in the sense that they are all sitting back quiet even if they don't agree with what's going on.

We are on the path of the end of American hegemony. This part of David Frum's interview is inciteful.



What are you talking about? When's the last time you've been to any American cities? I have no problem spending time in Detroit. 1975 or 1985 Detroit, not so much. What did Trump say since his early days?

I use the word Republicans intentionally, as they are the political party in power and need to take responsibility for the US becoming a fascist country. Too much emphasis is placed on Trump, and when all the many chickens come home to roost, I don't want these key enablers of the shitshow - those who condone his lies, those who unthinkingly parrot his hatred, and those who even thought someone of his calibre was presidential material - to say that it wasn't them, it was Trump and his inner circle.

 

[musicisgood]

It's not really "Republicans" except in the sense that they are all sitting back quiet even if they don't agree with what's going on.

We are on the path of the end of American hegemony. This part of David Frum's interview is inciteful.



What are you talking about? When's the last time you've been to any American cities? I have no problem spending time in Detroit. 1975 or 1985 Detroit, not so much. What did Trump say since his early days?

basically 32 years
american cities are like a river being polluted from the upstream "faith of the American dream of we can do what we want to do", in my opinion those days are truly gone. Trump is only making the light of awareness to the public. He knows Congress controls the laws of common sense, but stupid biden said fk the US highest court 3 times and yet not a squeak against American values with regards to immigration. Like Trump said. You came here without permission you WILL go back. If here on a Visa and commit a crime you go back. Same in Japan. What is wrong with that. Please explain to the readers here.

 

[johnnyG]

basically 32 years
american cities are like a river being polluted from the upstream "faith of the American dream of we can do what we want to do", in my opinion those days are truly gone. Trump is only making the light of awareness to the public. He knows Congress controls the laws of common sense, but stupid biden said fk the US highest court 3 times and yet not a squeak against American values with regards to immigration. Like Trump said. You came here without permission you WILL go back. If here on a Visa and commit a crime you go back. Same in Japan. What is wrong with that. Please explain to the readers here.

Excuse me, but I think you've been in Japan for a long time--when did you last live in the US?

 

[mdchachi]

basically 32 years
american cities are like a river being polluted from the upstream "faith of the American dream of we can do what we want to do", in my opinion those days are truly gone. Trump is only making the light of awareness to the public. He knows Congress controls the laws of common sense, but stupid biden said fk the US highest court 3 times and yet not a squeak against American values with regards to immigration. Like Trump said. You came here without permission you WILL go back. If here on a Visa and commit a crime you go back. Same in Japan. What is wrong with that. Please explain to the readers here.

You're saying it's worse than 32 years ago? What's changed for the worse?

Regarding deporting everybody without legal status that would be shooting ourselves in the foot since our economy depends on their labor. If he really wanted to solve the immigration problem he would champion a robust guest worker program and figure out a way to keep law abiding immigrants here legally. Instead he claims Haitians — who are here legally by the way — eat pet dogs and cats and drums up vitriol against immigrants for votes.

 

[mdchachi]

 

[Ukigumo]

Nintendo has decided not to allow for pre-orders for its newly released Switch 2 due to the tariffs.

Nintendo pulls Switch 2 pre-orders in US over Trump tariffs

It unveiled the console on Wednesday just hours before the president announced a wave of global tariffs.

www.bbc.com

American otaku will be crying in their rooms…with their curtains drawn!

 

[mdchachi]

American otaku will be crying in their rooms…with their curtains drawn!

Preorders are available in Canada. I sense an opportunity for arbitrage. Since I live next to Canada I should go over there and buy a few, bring them into the U.S. and sell for double.

 

[mdchachi]

Went to a local Hands Off rally today and was pleasantly surprised the crowd was bigger than I expected. Also no counter-protesting Trumpers in sight. I live in a county with roughly 50/50 split.

 

[Achilles 1-1]

Went to a local Hands Off rally today and was pleasantly surprised the crowd was bigger than I expected. Also no counter-protesting Trumpers in sight. I live in a county with roughly 50/50 split.
View attachment 125837

I looked at what this was and immediately lost respect for this rally and exited out of the tab without reading the rest of the article the second I saw "Women's rights groups" and "LGBTQ+ advocates" If there's anything I truly hate in the world, its those two. I've already said stuff about LGBTQ+ stuff so I'm not gonna here. Yes, woman shouldn't be treated differently because they are women, but they shouldn't do specific things because biblically there just weren't made to.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

The good news, for what it's worth, is that the tariff on Japan is only 10% now...right? It's hard to keep up with everything that's going on.

 

[thomas]

The good news, for what it's worth, is that the tariff on Japan is only 10% now...right? It's hard to keep up with everything that's going on.

Yes, for 90 days. I think the 25% tariff on cars is still in place. I am sure it's all part of a superduper ingenious master plan.

 

[thomas]

Fact check: Trump makes false claims about China, Japan and the EU at Cabinet meeting

The US military presence in Japan: Trump falsely claimed that the US has a deal with Japan in which the US defends Japan, spending "hundreds of billions of dollars" for that purpose, but "we pay all the money; they don't pay anything." Japan provides billions of dollars per year in support of the US military presence in the country. The federal Government Accountability Office wrote in a 2021 report that data obtained from the US Defense Department showed that from 2016 through 2019, Japan provided $12.6 billion "in cash payments and in-kind financial support" for the US military presence – and also provided "indirect support, such as forgone rents on land and facilities used by U.S. forces, as well as waived taxes." Over the same period, the report said, the US Defense Department obligated $20.9 billion for the US military presence in Japan.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/10/politics/cabinet-meeting-trump-china-japan-eu/index.html

 

[mdchachi]

Yes, for 90 days. I think the 25% tariff on cars is still in place. I am sure it's all part of a superduper ingenious master plan.

If the master plan is to enrich himself and his friends by making the markets yo-yo and insider trading he's mastered it perfectly.

 

[Ukigumo]

Is anyone avoiding American-made goods as a result of Orange Man's behaviour? There seems to be a wave of anti-American goods fever spreading in the Europe and I have to admit, I have joined that wave and, interestingly buying more from Japan who make much nicer items albeit slightly more expensive! For example, I wanted a nice bushcraft knife for camping trips etc and America does produce some fine examples, but because that bully boy, instead I bought a Japanese bushcraft knife, from Muthos Homura which is very special indeed! People are avoiding Starbucks and Tesla's swasticars, and once Apple products increase in price, I suspect people will hold onto their iPhones/iPads for a little longer than they usually would (I was going to buy a new iPad Pro this week, but have decided to hold onto the very one I'm typing upon right now!)

Things become a little more difficult with food products but there are now apps that help you identify (chiefly) American-produced food stuffs; who really likes American cheese, beer and chocolate anyway?

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Is anyone avoiding American-made goods as a result of Orange Man's behaviour?

None other than the 51st and 52nd states, of course.

The Canadians and Danes boycotting American products

As anger grows over Trump's tariffs, apps and social media groups are helping people avoid US goods.

www.bbc.com

 

[Ukigumo]

It seems the idea is the rest of the world has to make the 'ordinary American' suffer financially so they don't vote for tiny hand's cronies next time.

I was going to fulfill a lifetime dream of visiting the Kennedy Space Centre early next year, but I've shelved that idea for now

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Yes, for 90 days. I think the 25% tariff on cars is still in place. I am sure it's all part of a superduper ingenious master plan.

Did someone say auto tariffs?

For Japan's five biggest automakers, the new tariffs are expected to total roughly $25 billion a year (3.6 trillion yen), according to a report by Kohei Takahashi, Japan auto analyst at UBS Securities. Toyota is expected to shoulder up to half of that burden, according to the report.


The amount will "inevitably deal a blow to the Japanese economy," said Takaki Nakanishi, chief analyst at Tokyo-based auto consultancy Nakanishi Research Institute.
"The impact of the U.S. tariff policy will be enormous," Nakanishi said.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/04/11/japan-auto-tariffs-trump-toyota-honda/

 

[Lothor]

Is anyone avoiding American-made goods as a result of Orange Man's behaviour? There seems to be a wave of anti-American goods fever spreading in the Europe and I have to admit, I have joined that wave and, interestingly buying more from Japan who make much nicer items albeit slightly more expensive! For example, I wanted a nice bushcraft knife for camping trips etc and America does produce some fine examples, but because that bully boy, instead I bought a Japanese bushcraft knife, from Muthos Homura which is very special indeed! People are avoiding Starbucks and Tesla's swasticars, and once Apple products increase in price, I suspect people will hold onto their iPhones/iPads for a little longer than they usually would (I was going to buy a new iPad Pro this week, but have decided to hold onto the very one I'm typing upon right now!)

Things become a little more difficult with food products but there are now apps that help you identify (chiefly) American-produced food stuffs; who really likes American cheese, beer and chocolate anyway?

I'm avoiding US stuff as much as possible, sourcing books from companies other than Amazon. Every few months, I order 10kg of flour from a company in Hokkaido through Amazon. Next time it runs out, I'll phone the company and try to order directly.

Actually, I do a lot of work for a US-based academic editing company, but everyone there is dead against the Republican government and its torching of a lot of valuable research projects.

 

[Ukigumo]

I'm avoiding US stuff as much as possible, sourcing books from companies other than Amazon. Every few months, I order 10kg of flour from a company in Hokkaido through Amazon. Next time it runs out, I'll phone the company and try to order directly.

Amazon has become so ubiquitous in our lives that it's hard to avoid using it. I buy a lot of things from them. Once I didn't order anything from Amazon for a whole week. One day there was a knock at, I opened it and Jeff Bezos was standing there asking if I was OK and in good health; he was worried about me It's true I tell you!

Actually, I do a lot of work for a US-based academic editing company, but everyone there is dead against the Republican government and its torching of a lot of valuable research projects.

That's a difficult situation to be in.

 

[mdchachi]

It seems the idea is the rest of the world has to make the 'ordinary American' suffer financially so they don't vote for tiny hand's cronies next time.

Many ordinary Americans were already suffering financially, that's why many of them voted for the orange turd. But maybe if they suffer more they'll wake up. One can only hope.

Every few months, I order 10kg of flour

What's wrong with EU flour? Or Ukrainian?

 

[salyavin]

True many Trump supporters were suffering and still voted for Trump often related to some cultural issue but some did say he'd make eggs cheaper or some such.

Also remember ordinary Americans have to pay these tarrifs so say we want avacados from Mexico we will pay more. Paper towels made from trees from Canada will go up. So even many ordinary household goods and food will go up for ordinary Americans due to tariffs. Also most clothing as well. Many farmers voted for Trump, now China won't buy their soybeans so some will lose their farms. https://www.agweb.com/news/crops/so...rts-china-could-grow-tariff-tit-tat-plays-out China also buys US dairy products.

I would argue Trump and friends are not even what we thought of as Republicans but rather kleptocrats just trying to enrich themselves. We can only hope boycotting American stuff will help put an end to these people being in power and reform that party.

 

[Ukigumo]

True many Trump supporters were suffering and still voted for Trump often related to some cultural issue but some did say he'd make eggs cheaper or some such.

What does that say about the critical faculties of these voters? I no longer believe in 'universal suffrage' but subscribe to,Socrates' idea , where potential voters should be made sit a little 'broad-brush stroke' test about the main policies of each party to earn their vote.

Also remember ordinary Americans have to pay these tarrifs so say we want avacados from Mexico we will pay more. Paper towels made from trees from Canada will go up. So even many ordinary household goods and food will go up for ordinary Americans due to tariffs. Also most clothing as well. Many farmers voted for Trump, now China won't buy their soybeans so some will lose their farms. https://www.agweb.com/news/crops/so...rts-china-could-grow-tariff-tit-tat-plays-out China also buys US dairy products.

If they vote for Vance next time, then they have not learned from their mistakes and dare I say, made the bed in which they must lie.

My brother has a close childhood friend who is Professor of Biochemistry at Chicago University, a member of an Evangelical Church and therefore a Trump supporter. He's had to delay his imminent retirement because Trumps shenanigans have hit his pension really hard. I'd hope he regrets his decisions but he'll, no doubt, rationalise them to fit his world view.

I would argue Trump and friends are not even what we thought of as Republicans but rather kleptocrats

Yes, they are atypical.

We can only hope boycotting American stuff will help put an end to these people being in power and reform that party.

It feels like being 'cruel to be kind' a concept that makes me feel slightly uncomfortable.