Japan’s conservatives turn sour on Trump as ‘fears of abandonment’ deepen

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 2 min read 100% complete by Julian RyallJanuary 22, 2026 at 04:00 AM

AI Summary

short article 2 min

Initially optimistic about Donald Trump's second term, conservative groups in Japan, including right-leaning media and politicians, have become increasingly disillusioned. These groups had anticipated expanded trade opportunities and a strengthened security alliance with the U.S. However, they are now concerned about tariffs imposed on Japanese exports and perceive a weakening of U.S. commitment to Japan's defense amid China's growing influence. This shift in sentiment marks a departure from their expectations following Trump's 2024 election victory, when outlets like the Sankei Shimbun expressed hopes for stronger global alliances and stability. The conservatives now fear abandonment by the U.S. and are alarmed by trade wars and rising security tensions.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

NATO 30% Taiwan Strait 30% Ukraine 30% Russia 40% Sankei Shimbun 50% China 60% United States ×470% Japan ×580% Donald Trump ×590%

Keywords

us-japan relations 90% security concerns 80% trade tariffs 70% conservative groups 70% abandonment fears 60% china's rise 50% indo-pacific 50% global alliances 40% trade war 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.40

Source Transparency

Source

South China Morning Post

Political Lean

Center-Right (0.50)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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us-japan relations security concerns trade tariffs conservative groups abandonment fears china's rise indo-pacific global alliances trade war

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