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Japan Sends a Clear Warning to the U.S.
In a rare public move, Japan's Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato hinted on national TV that Japan might use its $1.13 trillion in U.S. Treasury bonds as leverage in trade talks with the $TRUMP
$TRUMP Trump administration. When asked if Japan could use this position strategically, Kato replied, “It does exist as a card,” shaking global financial markets.
This statement marks a sharp shift in Japan's usual diplomacy. Tensions have escalated since $TRUMP Trump threatened “reciprocal tariffs,” and Japan is clearly no longer staying silent. Markets reacted strongly when those tariffs were first mentioned, and now Japan is signaling it won’t back down.
The warning came after heated trade meetings in Washington, where both sides disagreed over issues like car imports and energy. Analysts described the situation as a “street fight,” with Japan flashing its financial weapon as a serious threat.
If China joins Japan in this tactic, the U.S. bond market could face major turmoil. With high-level talks continuing into May, Japan has made its position clear: it’s done playing nice and is ready to act if pushed too far.
