A World Without the United States Really Has Come

Published in Nikkei
(Japan) on 20 July 2017
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Deborah Chapin. Edited by Laurence Bouvard.
It has been a century since the United States became a superpower. The “America First” dialogue is not just beginning. The United States has long been influencing the world by starting reckless wars and causing disorder in the financial markets in the name of its national interests. However, there is no recollection of a United States that has withdrawn and lost its presence more than it has now.

It can be said that “a world without the United States” really has come. How should we face this new order — no, disorder?

It has been half a year since President Trump’s inauguration. For the media, this is a time for reporting on what has been good and what has been bad.

Unfortunately, the Trump administration is not acquainted with typical discourse. In evaluating its strengths and weaknesses, I do not really understand what it wants to do or who is leading it.

Before and after the launch of this administration, Trump’s every move caught attention from all around the world. There were countries that had someone in place early in the morning to monitor the large number of tweets coming from the United States.

Lately, few posts have been worth reading. The critical point in the first six months of the administration was developing a movement to buy products made in America, but the United States’ manufacturing industry cannot be resurrected to that extent.

Get rid of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Label China a currency manipulator. Repeal the Affordable Care Act. Where did claims like these go? The pledges to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership and from the Paris climate agreement are about the only ones that have actually been implemented.

Relations with the main Republican Party are poor and there is almost no driving force for policy. The “Russiagate” scandal has caused the administration to stumble, and now it might not simply be acting recklessly anymore. This presidential term has 3 1/2 years left, but it seems it might end early if it follows this downward curve without doing anything.

According to Gallup’s public opinion poll, Trump’s approval rating was at 39 percent, as of July 16. This is better than the 37 percent recorded in June, but this is not an indication of improvement. There is no longer any use in gauging Trump’s reactions.

What should Japan do? It should deepen relations with principle countries in Europe and Asia, in order to hold back the drifting of the international order, if only by a little.


米国が超大国になって1世紀になる。「米国第一」はいまに始まったことではない。国益にしがみついて無謀な戦争を始めたり、金融市場を混乱させたり、と世界を振り回してきた。だが、いまほど自国に引きこもり、存在感を失った米国は記憶にない。
 「米国抜きの世界」が本当にやって来たともいえる。私たちはこの新しい秩序、いや、無秩序にどう向き合えばよいのだろうか。
 トランプ米大統領が就任して半年を迎えた。メディアとしては、ここがよい、ここが不十分だ、とそれなりの通信簿をつけるタイミングである。
 残念ながら、トランプ政権はありきたりの論評にはなじまない。長所や短所を探そうにも、そもそも何がしたいのか、誰が主導しているのかがよくわからない。
 政権の発足の前後、トランプ氏の一挙手一投足は世界中の注目を集めた。ツイッターの発信が多い米国時間の早朝に画面を見守る役職を設けた国もあった。
 最近は読むに値する発信はあまりない。政権半年の節目に「米国製品を買おう」運動を展開したが、その程度のことで米製造業がよみがえるわけがない。
 「北米自由貿易協定(NAFTA)を破棄する」「中国を為替の不正操作国に認定する」「医療保険制度改革法(オバマケア)を廃止する」――。これらの主張はどこに行ったのか。公約で本当に実現したのは、環太平洋経済連携協定(TPP)と温暖化に関するパリ協定からの離脱くらいだ。
 トランプ氏が尊敬しているとされるレーガン大統領は国政の経験がないのをわきまえ、大統領選でライバル陣営にいたジェームズ・ベーカー氏を中枢に置き、政権運営を任せた。トランプ政権は政治の素人が内輪もめを続けている。
 共和党主流派との折り合いが悪く、政策の推進力はほぼない。ロシアゲート疑惑に足を取られ、もはや暴走すらしないかもしれない。大統領任期はあと3年半あるが、何もせずに下降線をたどって終わるのではなかろうか。
 ギャラップ社の世論調査で16日時点の支持率は39%。6月に記録した37%よりましだが、上向く気配はない。もはやトランプ氏の顔色をうかがっても仕方がない。
 日本はどうすればよいのか。欧州やアジアの主要国との連携を深めることだ。国際秩序の漂流を少しでも食い止めるために。
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