Is this a bluff or a real threat?

Japan has finally dropped the act. In a rare and bold move, Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato went live on national TV and pulled out a weapon the U.S. knows all too well — Japan’s massive $1.13 trillion stash of U.S. $TRUMP Treasury bonds.
When asked whether Japan might ever use its position as America’s top foreign creditor as leverage in trade talks with Trump’s administration, Kato didn’t flinch.$TRUMP
“It does exist as a card,” he said calmly — but the effect was anything but calm. That one line sent shockwaves through the financial markets.
This wasn’t some offhand remark. Japan has always kept quiet about even the idea of selling U.S. debt. But with Trump tossing around threats of “reciprocal tariffs” since April, Tokyo clearly isn’t playing nice anymore.$TRUMP
That first tariff threat had already shaken Wall Street. Bond yields surged, sell-offs hit hard, and nervous energy swept through markets. Trump later paused the tariffs for 90 days — but the damage had already sunk
Japan's Warning: We're Not Backing Down
Kato’s bombshell came just hours after Japan’s chief trade negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, returned from intense meetings in Washington with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Behind closed doors, it wasn’t pretty — both sides reportedly clashed over car imports, energy deals, and agriculture, all areas where the U.S. is demanding Japan give in.
Sure, Japan might end up buying more U.S. farm goods or LNG — but they’re not going down without a fight. Kato, who also met Bessent in April, seems fed up.
Market watchers didn’t hold back either. CLSA’s Chief Strategist, Nicholas Smith, summed it up:
“This is a street fight now. If you’ve got a weapon, it’s naive not to show it. You don’t have to pull the trigger — just flashing it is enough.”
But here’s the bigger picture: if China — another U.S. debt heavyweight — decides to play the same card, the bond market could go into a tailspin. Together, Japan and China hold enough leverage to make the U.S. blink — and Japan’s move might just start a global domino effect.
Japan’s own Prime Minister has already called the Trump trade war a “national crisis.” So when a usually composed and cautious finance minister like Kato speaks out like this, you know it’s serious.
Jesper Koll from Monex Group nailed it:
“When Japan’s finance minister talks openly about U.S. Treasury holdings, it’s not just a warning. It’s a message: We’re done playing nice.
Talks between Japan and Trump’s team are set to heat up in May, with a potential deal on the horizon by June. But one thing’s crystal clear now:
Japan’s not asking for fair play anymore — they’re drawing a line. Push again, and they’ll torch the bond market.#BinanceHODLerSTO #BinanceHODLerSTO #BTCRebound #StablecoinPayments #BinanceAlphaAlert #AirdropSafetyGuide