Donald Trump¡¯s return to the campaign trail has also seen his reemergence in the Japanese lexicon, as his popularity stokes concern in Japan about what a possible second term for the former U.S. president would mean for the two countries¡¯ alliance.
The compact Japanese buzzword moshitora ¡ª which literally means ¡°what if Trump¡± ¡ª has resurfaced in local media reports in recent months, returning to headlines after initially appearing during the 2016 presidential election.
The term appears to be a parody of ¡°Moshidora,¡± the short title of a popular 2009 novel, in which a high school girl adopts Western management techniques to help revive her school baseball team¡¯s fortunes.
But the Trump version of the term has evolved in 2024.
After the former president secured the Republican nomination last week, the term morphed into hobotora ¡ª or ¡°almost certain (to be) Trump¡± ¡ª as he outpaces incumbent President Joe Biden in a number of major polls.
In Japan, a growing sense of urgency about Trump 2.0 has begun to take root, especially in the wake of the 2022 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, known for his cozy relationship with the former president.
How the current administration will navigate a possible Trump reelection remains unclear.
A skeptic of U.S. alliances, Trump actively pulled back the United States¡¯ presence from the international stage during his time in office.
He repeatedly complained that the U.S. was saddled with ¡°unfair¡± defense expenses by its allies, and threatened to withdraw American forces from South Korea if Seoul did not agree to pay more for the cost of stationing troops there.
Tokyo has been keenly watching the presidential campaign, but has appeared to hedge its bets by conducting business as usual with Biden while also reaching out to the Trump camp.
Former Prime Minister Taro Aso, who is also vice president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, reportedly attempted to meet with Trump during a visit to the U.S. in January, daily. His attempt was unsuccessful.
The Foreign Ministry has also reportedly started to mobilize the Japanese Embassy and consulates across the U.S. to analyze Trump¡¯s remarks and the electoral situation in battleground states, as well as to touch base with people who may take key positions in a second Trump administration.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is set to meet with Biden during a lavish state visit at the White House in April. During his trip, Kishida is also expected to travel to cities in which Japanese companies have invested ¡ª a move that will appeal to both Democrats and Republicans.
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