Protectionist stance to 'make US fall again'

The protectionist stance of the United States government will possibly make the US decline again as it is increasingly at odds with the global trend toward multilateralism and free trade, say Japanese experts.

They said under the slogan "Make America Great Again", abbreviated as MAGA, the US is leaning toward nationalism, a shift that has raised concern among many countries.

"The US policy of imposing high tariffs shook the world," said Kumiko Haba, professor emeritus of international relations at Aoyama Gakuin University. "As a result, the US made a bilateral deal to its advantage and tried to make MAGA a reality. But in effect, it has prepared the US economy for a decline. It looks like 'Make America Fall Again.'"

Haba argued that Asia will take the lead in shaping the global economy, especially as the US influence wanes.

"From a long-term perspective, I believe that multilateralism and free trade in Asia will drive the world economy due to the declining trend of the US economy, and with the addition of the Global South, we will enter a new era in which a new international order will be established based on economic development and peace rather than war," she said.

Haba called on Japan, China, South Korea, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to take the lead together in achieving prosperity and peace through economic collaboration and to help shape a new world order in the coming decades.

Kazuyuki Hamada, an international political economist and Japan's former parliamentary vice-minister for foreign affairs, echoed Haba's concerns.

Hamada criticized Washington's current one-sided political and economic policies as fundamentally incompatible with the principles of free trade and multilateralism.

He said the US administration has been using tariffs as "a political and economic weapon against both allied countries and opposing countries".

"This is clearly against multilateralism, and this is a very dangerous step taken by the American government," Hamada said.

He emphasized the need for other nations to uphold genuine multilateralism, which is the basis for economic development and co-prosperity. "We must be convinced that the future is in the hands of the developing nations, represented by ASEAN, the Global South, and BRICS."

Haba also advised Japan and China to strengthen their trade ties and supply chains with other Asian countries. She urged them to maintain a calm and steady response to shifting US tariffs, rather than reacting to each new executive order.

Economic transition

"In the long term, it should prepare for an economic transition from the US and Europe to Asia in the second half of the 21st century by linking up with the growing BRICS and the peace forces of the Global South," Haba added.

Hamada emphasized the importance of the temporary 90-day pause on tariff imposition, calling it an opportunity for non-US nations to unite against Washington's trade policy.

"This pause is a political compromise by the US, but no one knows how the US would change this tariff war against other countries after 90 days," he said.

He expressed hope that stronger ties between industries, communities, and citizens would shift the mindset of US policymakers.

Meanwhile, Japan's chief tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa again urged the US to reconsider its tariff measures during a meeting in Washington, DC, on May 30 with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

Akazawa noted that Tokyo's stance demanding that the US remove all its additional tariffs on Japanese imports has not changed, Kyodo News reported.

Both sides confirmed they have developed a mutual understanding of each other's positions and that discussions toward reaching an agreement are progressing.

They agreed to accelerate bilateral coordination and to hold another consultation meeting ahead of a possible exchange between Japanese and US leaders at the Group of Seven summit from June 15-17.

jiangxueqing@chinadaily.com.cn