Masayuki Takayama exposes America’s systemic exploitation of Japanese companies—highlighting Mitsubishi’s downfall, Trump’s 25% tariff shock, and betrayal by a Japanese-American official.
A must-read political and economic reflection.

A long time ago, an elderly female professor from the Royal Ballet School of Monaco—deeply respected by prima ballerinas around the world—visited Japan.
At that time, she spoke about the true significance of artists.
“Artists are important,” she said, “because they are the only ones who can shine light on hidden truths and express them.”
No one would object to her words.
Masayuki Takayama is not only a one-of-a-kind journalist in the postwar world, but it is no exaggeration to say that he is also a one-of-a-kind artist.
The following is from Takayama’s serialized column in this week’s issue of Shukan Shincho, released today.
This essay also brilliantly proves my assertion that no one is more deserving of the Nobel Prize in Literature today than Masayuki Takayama.
It is essential reading not only for the Japanese public, but for people all over the world.

Don’t Underestimate Trump

Trump is awful.
He’s like a Chinese gangster in Shinjuku’s Kabukicho, swinging a machete to seize territory.
A blond gangster.
This time, he swung a machete called a 25% tariff.
The biggest victim was Mitsubishi Motors.
They had been exporting their flagship SUV, the Outlander.
With four-wheel drive and a hybrid system capable of 17 kilometers per liter, the front and rear wheels operate independently with different driving forces—a shining example of the technology that once produced the Zero fighter.
It sold extremely well in the U.S. market, with sales surging 40% over two years and approaching 200,000 units.
Then Trump stepped in and suddenly raised the 2.5% tariff to 25%.
Mitsubishi’s quarterly profits plummeted by 98% year-over-year.
Tariff payments to the U.S. jumped by 14 billion yen, and their operating loss reached 3 billion yen.
The more they sold, the more they lost.
One might think, “Then just pull out of the U.S. market,” but unfortunately, the car still sells well.
If they had local production bases like Toyota and Nissan, they could have avoided the tariffs.
They probably thought, “Maybe we should set up a plant too,” but in fact, Mitsubishi Motors used to have a massive factory in the U.S. employing 4,000 people.
It’s gone now.
Why it’s gone is something they don’t even want to talk about.
Because the more they talk, the more bitter it becomes.
Their first U.S. expansion was during Reagan’s time.
American companies had begun relocating manufacturing to low-wage China, leading to industrial hollowing.
States opened offices in Akasaka, Japan, begging Japanese companies to invest and create jobs.
Seeing arrogant Americans bowing their heads moved Japanese companies.
Mitsubishi Motors was one of them.
Promised high-quality labor and tax incentives, they moved into Normal, Illinois, planning to take over a Chrysler factory.
But when they arrived, what awaited them were arrogant Americans.
The city feigned ignorance of tax incentives, and Chrysler, in a supposed joint venture, insisted on keeping exclusive sales rights.
Still, Mitsubishi responded in good faith and introduced a warm, Japanese-style management approach.
They fulfilled their promise to create jobs, with even assembly line workers earning $50,000 annually.
For job openings, 200 college grads and even university professors applied.
“They used to walk around town wearing their Mitsubishi uniforms even after work. They were proud,” recalled Chairman Tsuneo Oinoue.
Just when things were finally on track, the Clinton administration filed a lawsuit through a federal agency, accusing Mitsubishi of encouraging male employees to freely harass their female colleagues “Japanese-style.”
It was a baseless claim rooted in the stereotype that “Japan is a sexist country.”
The spokesperson for this agency was Japanese-American Paul Igasaki.
With his unmistakably Japanese face, his criticism of Japan led U.S. reporters to believe, “If a Japanese person says so, it must be true.”
In reality, Clinton had devised a scheme to extort Japanese companies through lawsuits.
Mitsubishi was one such target.
Igasaki was recruited for the case and, with congressional approval, spread lies like “In Japan, women have no human rights.”
He was human scum who betrayed his homeland.
Mitsubishi fought back, but the U.S. media and Congress were deeply anti-Japanese.
Female legislators called for boycotts of Mitsubishi, supporting the racially charged lawsuit.
Eventually, Mitsubishi caved, paying $34 million to the government agency and $9.5 million to the alleged sexual harassment victims.
After their defeat, other groups followed suit—Black organizations, disabled rights groups, and even local governments all jumped on the bandwagon, extorting a total of $50 million.
Clinton targeted other Japanese companies too: Pentax was made a scapegoat, and Toshiba’s laptops were sued with the absurd demand to “swear to God they won’t break”—a claim that alone cost Toshiba $1 billion.
When Toshiba was identified as an easy target, Westinghouse sued and eventually crushed the company entirely.
Seeing the plight of other Japanese firms, Mitsubishi ceased local production in the U.S. a decade ago.
Then came Trump’s 25% tariff.
To U.S. presidents, no matter what Japan does, it’s always just a convenient mark.
Trump is not someone a lightweight like Ishiba should dare to mock.