Thanks to his strong showing so far in the Democratic primaries, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders is one of the front-runners for the party¡¯s nomination to face President Donald Trump in November. If Sanders does end up as the Democrats¡¯ standard-bearer, this year¡¯s presidential election will be a choice between his left-wing brand of populism and the right-wing variety espoused by Trump.
For Japan, the potential implications of such a contest could be huge. Since taking office, Trump has consistently shunned multilateralism and pursued a divisive domestic agenda that is contributing to a further hardening of partisan attitudes in the United States. Sanders, meanwhile, seems to share Trump¡¯s protectionist instincts regarding trade.
Japanese political and business leaders are especially concerned by the decoupling of economic ties between America and China, the country¡¯s two biggest trading partners. A breakdown in U.S.-China trade relations, or a proliferation of protectionist measures around the world, would disrupt global supply chains and could have a devastating impact on Japan¡¯s economy, the world¡¯s third-largest. On China, Democrats don¡¯t appear overwhelmingly different from Trump and the Republicans.
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