Japan's US Approval Plummets Under Trump Amid Trade Tensions & Divisive Policies: Survey Reveals Near-Record Lows

Japan's Favorable View of US Plummets Amid Trump Era Policies

Public sentiment in Japan towards its long-standing ally, the United States, has sharply declined, reaching levels not seen in over a decade. A new survey reveals a significant drop in approval for Japan-US ties, primarily attributed to former US President Donald Trump's assertive trade strategies and divisive domestic agenda, which have strained the eight-decade-old alliance.

Survey Reveals Deepening Discontent

The latest annual poll conducted by Japan's Cabinet Office indicates that only 70.8 percent of Japanese respondents now consider relations with the US to be "good" or "quite good." This figure marks a substantial 14.7 percentage point decrease from the previous year, highlighting a swift shift in public perception. Historically, Japanese approval of the US typically hovered between the mid-80s and low-90s percentile for more than a decade prior to this period.

This recent downturn represents the second-lowest reading since the survey question was first introduced in 1998, closely mirroring the 68.9 percent low recorded in 2008 towards the end of President George W. Bush's tenure. The data, collected between late September and early November, captured public opinion before recent diplomatic tensions sparked by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan.

A Shift in Perception and Regional Comparisons

The comprehensive postal survey engaged 3,000 individuals aged 18 and over, receiving approximately 1,600 responses. While views on the US have deteriorated, sentiment towards China also remains low, with only 13.3 percent expressing favorable views of relations, a slight dip from 14.7 percent in the preceding year.

Kiyoko Date, an office worker from Yokohama, voiced a common sentiment of disillusionment. She observed, "We used to think that the US was the most advanced and simply the best country in the world." Her comments underscore a broader re-evaluation among the Japanese public regarding their perception of the United States. The current political climate and policy decisions emanating from Washington are clearly putting the enduring bonds of the Japan-US alliance to a rigorous test.