key takeaways
- Trade negotiator Akazawa Ryōsei is back in Washington for talks after US implementation of the bilateral trade agreement has differed from Japan’s expectations on key provisions.
- No matter how the dispute resolves, Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru will be penalized for his handling of the talks, whether for misunderstanding what was agreed or failing to keep the Trump administration to its promises.
- This situation is a gift to Ishiba’s intra-party opponents as well as to opposition parties, who have floated the possibility of a no-confidence motion over the issue.