U.S.-Japan after the Election: Thankful to Be Better Together
By Dr. Joshua W. Walker, President and CEO, Japan Society
2020 has been an unprecedented year, and the U.S. presidential election, frequently interesting and unpredictable, has lived up to form in an already volatile political and economic arena. Many of the norms that we have always assumed about the American presidential system have been upended by President Trump’s behavior during the electoral process, and are still playing out. As a result of the situation that America finds itself in, what may have seemed to be a clear choice has now been muddied by an election outcome that is closer than either side would have liked. President-Elect Biden’s call for healing as Americans not enemies and the biblical seasons comes at a particularly important moment for America and the world as we near the end of 2020. The big takeaway from this election is not about political blue or red waves, but how divided we are as a nation. Even as the courts and recounts ensure the integrity of America’s democracy while one group celebrates and the other mourns, there needs to be a moment of unity and an end to polarization, not just for the United States but for the sake of the world.
Strength during uncertainty
The world has been watching the U.S. presidential election with keen interest — and democracy itself, not just America’s interpretation of it in our Electoral College, has come under question. How does the U.S.-Japan relationship play into all of this? Even in Japan, where there are rarely political surprises, there was a sudden change in leadership this year. What was to have been a victory lap for Japan this year — hosting the now-postponed Olympics, having the longest serving prime minister in Japanese history Shinzo Abe’s legacy carry through to 2021 — has been upended. Even as Abe’s Chief Cabinet Secretary, Prime Minister Suga must solidify his own mandate in Japan. Everyone is watching Suga and how he cultivates his relationship with President-elect Biden as he deals with President Trump during the next two months given all the sensitivities involved.
Despite all this uncertainty, the U.S.-Japan relationship remains strong — precisely because it is much deeper than the two leaders at the top. The heart of the U.S.-Japan relationship lies in our institutional and professional connections, our ongoing joint ventures, exchanges, bedrock military alliance, and the investments that Japanese businesses are making in America and American businesses are making in Japan, in our societies, peoples, and universities. Although COVID has exposed some of the worst of American domestic politics and divisions, and closed borders have made it difficult to travel, the U.S.-Japan relationship has not faltered. Particularly here in New York, a city that, like the country of Japan, epitomizes resiliency, there is a deeper sense that we are all in this together.
Strength through democracy
More Americans voted in this election than any other in history. While supporters on both sides disagreed about many things, everyone agreed that this was the most consequential election in living memory. It is because of our democracy, not in spite of its messy processes, that we are so strong. Unlike authoritarian regimes, our leaders represent the people. And whether or not our leaders value relationships, it is clear that our people and societies have built an enduring resiliency over the past 75 years. It is because the U.S. and Japan share the values of democracy amidst the turmoil of politics that we are able to think about these things, for the long term. Regardless of how people feel about the outcome of the election, there is a process in place, and we can have confidence in that system.
Consider the “J Curve,” a term developed by Ian Bremmer to analyze the rise and fall of nations through the relationship between a county’s openness and stability. While the U.S. may have slipped somewhat in the last few years, the bottom line is that the turbulence of this year, not just COVID, but the calls for social and racial equity and justice, has the potential to make us stronger. If we can overcome this time, and come together as a nation, as Americans, not as Democrats or Republicans, we have our best days ahead of us. Domestic struggles will continue, particularly given the enormity of the task ahead in both Japan and the U.S., but our businesses and our societies will lead the way.
A global alliance
Sometimes it takes a trusted friend who is somewhat removed from our own domestic politics to help us focus on what matters. As we enter the season of Thanksgiving, I am particularly grateful that we have an ally like Japan, in the most important region in the world — Asia. With deteriorating relations between the U.S. and China, we need a partner like Japan on the front lines to help maintain world stability. After four years of President Trump’s belittling American alliances, Japan, and U.S.-Japan relations, have come out stronger — even as European allies and many others around the world no longer trust the U.S. to be a leader. I believe that Japan, from the beginning, has viewed U.S.-Japan as a relationship between our peoples, not just our leaders. Therefore, regardless of the election’s outcome, I was and remain confident that U.S.-Japan relations will only continue to strengthen under the next administration. I am thankful for Japan in particular this year, and I am thankful for people who are committed toward making the world a better place, and leaving it a better place than when we found it, together. This is where I see Japan Society and our mission of strengthening U.S.-Japan relations as more critical than ever.
I am optimistic about the future, despite a lot of short-term challenges and hard work ahead, which begin with overcoming this pandemic together. I believe the U.S.-Japan relationship can guide and lead global politics and geopolitics moving forward, precisely because it is not just about our two countries. The U.S.-Japan relationship must evolve into a global alliance that helps us in places like Europe or Israel, that are natural Democratic allies, and in the Indo-Pacific, where there are important new democracies and large players in the geopolitical sphere, from India to Australia to Indonesia. In this current inflection point, my hope is that people will fully appreciate and value what the U.S.-Japan relationship brings to all of us, as American citizens, as Japanese citizens, and as global citizens more broadly.
Joshua Walker (@drjwalk) is president and CEO of Japan Society. Follow @japansociety.
The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own.
