China Japan Photo:VCG

"Japan should respond to the US [tariff threats] with firmness, just as China has done," said Hiroshi Shiratori, a political science professor at Hosei University in Tokyo, referring to China-US Economic and Trade Meeting in Geneva during an exclusive interview with the Global Times recently.

According to Reuters, Japan's top tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa plans to visit the US again on Friday for a fourth round of trade talks. So far, the two sides have held three rounds of talks. Akazawa visits the US from Thursday to Sunday. The US has refused Japan's full exemption from not only a 10 percent "reciprocal" tariff but a country-specific tariff in recent negotiations, Kyodo News reported on May 5, citing sources close to the matter.

Shiratori, a veteran international politics scholar and media commentator, told the Global Times that although Japan and the US are allies, Japan, like other countries, faces US tariff threats. At the negotiating table with the US, upholding principles is key — blindly accepting demands passively will make it difficult to safeguard Japan's economic interests and long-term development.

Shiratori noted that China has proposed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), expanding cooperation by strengthening infrastructure construction and promoting trade and investment facilitation with many countries. Japan, on the other hand, has joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to deepen economic ties with Asia-Pacific countries, while European countries have focused on regional cooperation, exploring new paths for economic growth through EU integration. However, the US' trade protectionist policies have disrupted the global free trade system.

Faced with this complex environment, Japan has once again recognized the importance of cooperating with China to uphold free trade and counter the uncertainties caused by US actions, Shiratori said.

He also emphasized that China supports the multilateral free trade system and the concept of open cooperation, committing to promoting shared development and interconnected growth, including with Global South countries. This offers important insights for Japan and Europe in deepening regional economic cooperation and improving global economic governance.

According to the scholar, as a major economy, Japan should not only addresses its own economic issues but also take responsibility for global economic governance and development. He suggested that Japan can leverage the CPTPP while collaborating with China, Europe and others to advance free trade. By strengthening cooperation with key economies, Japan can play an active role in stabilizing global industrial and supply chains and promoting world economic recovery and sustainable development.

Shiratori told the Global Times that not only Japan but the entire world now needs to consider how to hedge against the uncertainties posed by the US government. Unlike the US, Japan and China are neighbors with geographical proximity and deep historical ties. Beyond the economic sphere, the two countries can further expand exchanges in areas such as cultural and people-to-people interactions, building an even closer relationship.