Ishiba’s snub by Trump may push Japan toward China, sparking concerns about US influence

When Trump declined a request to meet Ishiba in November, it was widely seen as a snub to the Japanese leader. Additionally, when Ishiba suggested visiting Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence, this was also firmly rejected, with the president-elect’s team citing the 1799 Logan Act for avoiding contact with foreign leaders before his inauguration on January 20.

“It almost seems that the Ishiba government is creating a passive-aggressive approach to dealing with the Trump administration,” said Stephen Nagy, a politics and international relations professor at Tokyo’s International Christian University.