Japan's Former Minister of Justice on Japan in Trump 2.0

Changing Geoeconomics in the Age of Trump: The Insider View from Japan. Hideki Makihara served as a member of the Japanese House of Representatives for sixteen years and occupied various senior government, parliamentary, and party roles, including most recently as Minister of Justice. In this episode, Mr. Makihara provides a first-hand perspective on key developments in Japanese policy, from the lasting influence of Abenomics to the next steps under the Ishiba administration, with a focus on economic security and emerging technologies. He also addresses how Japan is adapting to the increasing assertiveness of China, sharpening geoeconomic competition, and the return of Donald Trump to the White House.

Video Chapters 0:00 – Intro 1:00 – Welcoming the Guest & First Impressions of Canada 1:31 – Tariffs & “America First” Policies 2:45 – Abenomics: Successes & Deflation’s End 4:00 – Evolving Abenomics Under New Administrations 5:00 – Japan’s Return to Inflation 6:40 – The Impact of Rising Energy Costs 8:25 – Wage Growth vs. Price Increases 9:30 – Looking Ahead: Ensuring Real Economic Benefits 10:05 – Government Oversight & Price Pressures on SMEs 11:00 – Shifting from Savings to Investments 12:15 – The Nikkei Boom & Missed Opportunities 13:00 – Managing Relations with China & the US 14:20 – Japan’s Vision as a “Bridge of Peace” 15:05 – AI & Semiconductor Investments 17:00 – Addressing Population Decline & Aging 19:45 – Foreign Labor & Robotics 20:20 – Regional Revitalization Strategies 22:00 – Balancing Stimulus & National Debt 25:00 – Future Economic Priorities 26:30 – Life Advice & Japanese Anime Recommendations 27:30