Estévez-Abe Discusses Japan’s Concern About a Shift in US Policy Toward Indo-Pacific With DW News

November 10, 2026

Margarita Estévez-Abe

Political Science Department

East Asia Program

East Asia

Federal Government

Government

National Security

U.S. Elections

U.S. Foreign Policy

Margarita Estévez-Abe

Ahead of the APEC summit in Shenzhen on Nov. 18-19, where the U.S., Chinese and Russian leaders are expected to meet, Japan is worried that President Trump, weakened by the midterm results, may pursue a quick diplomatic win that overlooks the interests of U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific.

Experts say Tokyo fears a U.S.-China deal could leave it more exposed and is concerned about the strength of Washington’s commitment, though Japan currently has no alternative to the U.S. alliance.

Margarita Estévez-Abe, associate professor of political science, says Japan fears “a transactional Trump who treats Taiwan as a bargaining chip.”

She points out that after the May summit with Xi, Trump described U.S. arms sales to Taiwan as “a good negotiating chip with China.”

Tokyo hopes no major clashes erupt in the region for the remaining two years of Trump's term and that Washington's resolve is not tested before a new and “strategically more amenable administration comes in,” Estévez-Abe says.

Read more in the DW News article, “Japan watches for signs of change in Trump's foreign policy priorities.”