, Columnist
‘Mr. Japan’ Bends the Knee — and Falls on His Sword
Shigeru Ishiba’s trade deal with Donald Trump will be his last act as leader.
Shigeru Ishiba is close to bowing out.
Photographer: Toru Hanai/Bloomberg“Mr. Japan” finally has his trade deal, after three months of talks. It looks like it will be his final act.
After a third successive blow from the Japanese electorate, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba blinked in trade talks with the US. He spent months seeking a complete removal of the levies that President Donald Trump held over the country, including those already imposed on cars.