深观察丨美国财长下周访日 日本如何不入困局

Group 1 - The upcoming "U.S. National Day" event at the Osaka Expo on July 19 will be attended by U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen, marking her first visit to Japan since taking office and the first since the U.S.-Japan trade negotiations began in April [1] - Japan is seeking to discuss tariff issues with Yellen during her visit, as reported by Japanese government sources, although U.S. officials indicate that the visit will primarily focus on the expo without formal bilateral talks [1][5] - Japan's optimism regarding the trade negotiations has diminished as the U.S. has rejected Japan's requests to withdraw the so-called "reciprocal tariffs" and has pressured Japan to increase imports of U.S. goods [5][8] Group 2 - The U.S. plans to raise the "reciprocal tariff" rate on Japan to 25% starting August 1, which is higher than the previously announced 24% [11][14] - This increase in tariffs has caused significant concern within Japan, especially with the upcoming Senate elections, as it may negatively impact the ruling party's chances [21][22] - The Japanese government is under pressure to negotiate effectively with the U.S. to protect national interests, with opposition leaders criticizing the government's handling of the negotiations [22][23] Group 3 - Japan's perception of its special relationship with the U.S. has been shaken by the recent tariff announcements, leading to feelings of betrayal among Japanese officials [24][26] - There are calls within Japan for a shift towards greater economic independence and collaboration with other countries to mitigate reliance on the U.S. [28]