Elli Pohlkamp

Trump approves Nippon Steel's deal for US Steel: the president appears to have decided the transaction poses no threat to national security after a second review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.

No time to drift: Trump, China, and the urgency of a stronger EU-Japan alignment With an unpredictable US and a defiant China, the EU and Japan must deepen their alignment—fast. Strategic cooperation in defence, economic security and diplomacy is no longer optional; it’s…

With an unpredictable US and a defiant China, the EU and Japan must deepen their alignment—fast. Strategic cooperation is essential to shaping, not just surviving, the new global order, writes @ellipohlkamp.bsky.social
@ecfrasia.bsky.social

No time to drift: Trump, China, and the urgency of a stronger EU-Japan alignment With an unpredictable US and a defiant China, the EU and Japan must deepen their alignment—fast. Strategic cooperation in defence, economic security and diplomacy is no longer optional; it’s essential...

My recent commentary for ECFR👉🏻No time to drift: Trump, China, and the urgency of a stronger EU-Japan alignment: ecfr.eu/article/no-t...

Japan says ‘every option’ on table against Donald Trump’s 25% car tariffs via @FT t.co/uJ4JY3CNhD

Would be helpful if more ntl security reporters would focus a bit on this Tucker interview. It is appalling. Both content, and that he did it in the first place. The transcript demonstrates that Witkoff is biased, misinformed, naive, out of his league, and unqualified for this job.

Japan, China hold 1st high-level economic dialogue in 6 yrs Japan and China hold their first high-level economic dialogue in six years as they explore areas of cooperation, with discussions likely to cover Beijing's blanket ban on Japanese seafood imports impo...

Japan, China hold 1st high-level economic dialogue in 6 yrs english.kyodonews.net/news/2025/03...

Japan, China, South Korea agree to promote "future-oriented" cooperation The top diplomats of Japan, China and South Korea agree to promote "future-oriented" cooperation during their meeting in Tokyo, amid growing uncertainty over global trade and security follow...

Japan, China, South Korea agree to promote "future-oriented" cooperation english.kyodonews.net/news/2025/03...

Japan’s economic-security policy with Professor Suzuki Kazuto and Dr Elli-Katharina Pohlkamp Robert Ward hosts Professor Suzuki Kazuto, Professor at the Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Tokyo, and Dr Elli-Katharina Pohlkamp, Director at Agora Strategy Group, to explore…

🎙️ Together with @robertalanward.bsky.social and @kazutosuzuki.bsky.social, @ellipohlkamp.bsky.social explores Japan’s economic security policy and the future of Japan-China economic relations.
Listen to the new Japan Memo episode ⬇️

Japan, U.S., South Korea top diplomats reaffirm 'unshakeable' trilateral ties The countries' top diplomats pledged to boost security and economic ties at their first meeting since Donald Trump's election, amid concerns over the relationship's durability.

Japan, U.S., South Korea top diplomats reaffirm 'unshakeable' trilateral ties www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/02...

🇺🇸carefully created an opening for Beijing to present itself as rooting for 🇺🇦and 🇪🇺seat at the table — a seat that is being denied by the Trump Administration.

The US presented Wang Yi with the best possible Munich weekend he could have imagined. 🇨🇳delegation must have truly had fun.

Did not expect this one:

Czech foreign minister and former IPAC member Jan Lipasky smiling with Wang Yi

From Chinese readout: "Czech gov pursues a one-China policy, does not support "Taiwan independence", and is willing to work with China to develop good political relations"

Japan, U.K. to Hold Economic 2+2 Meeting in Tokyo in March; Meeting Between Japan, U.K. Foreign, Economic Ministers to Be 1st of Its Kind <p>The Japanese and British governments are making arrangements for an economic two-plus-two meeting between their foreign and economic ministers on March 7 in Tokyo, according to Japanese government ...

Japan, U.K. to Hold Economic 2+2 Meeting in Tokyo in March japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/pol...

Japan, US eye defense chiefs' meeting in Japan in late March - The Mainichi TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan and the United States are arranging a late March meeting in Japan between Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and U.S. Defense Secret

Japan, US eye defense chiefs’ meeting in Japan in late March mainichi.jp/english/arti...

Japan exploring more defense transfers to Philippines, envoy says As Tokyo revises its export guidelines to ease defense equipment transfers, the partners expect more security cooperation on the horizon.

Japan exploring more defense transfers with the Philippines www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/02...

Japan exploring drone production capabilities for military aid program Tokyo has begun asking local firms about their capabilities to determine which systems it could provide under the next tranche of security assistance in fiscal 2025 and beyond.

Japan exploring drone production capabilities for military aid program www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/02...

World's richest man wants poorest people cut off from crucial US aid The US used to spend more on international development than any other nation, but with Donald Trump and Elon Musk freezing USAID funding, people on the other side of the world are already dealing with...

Let’s look at some of the people Musk and Trump just killed: in Thai-Myanmar border migrant camp Umpiem Mai, more than 10k displaced people. USAID withdrawal meant immediate closure of hospital: “multiple patients, relying on oxygen support, died” www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02...

In their first summit meeting, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed U.S. involvement in Japan’s defense, including the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/polit…

Trump says Nippon Steel will not purchase but invest in U.S. Steel Japan's Ishiba says deal will move ahead as investment

Trump says Nippon Steel will not purchase but invest in U.S. Steel asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Tr... via @NikkeiAsia

Trump seeks to slash Japan trade deficit through LNG exports, tariffs asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Trum… via @NikkeiAsia

Developing | China hits back at US tariffs with vow to take case to the WTO Decision by Trump administration to impose 10 per cent tariffs on imports from China ‘disrupts normal China-US trade’, Ministry of Commerce says.

China will file a claim with the WTO and "take necessary countermeasures to safeguard its interests", its Ministry of Commerce said on Sunday after the US announced it would impose tariffs on Chinese goods.

www.scmp.com/news/china/d...

Opinion | The Dumbest Trade War in History Trump will impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico for no good reason.

WSJ verdict: The Dumbest Trade War in History

www.wsj.com/opinion/dona...

One current State Department official, plus two former Biden administration officials, said the pause appears to stop aid to key allies such as Ukraine, Jordan and Taiwan.

Quite a pointed lecture

"Wang Yi said that a major country should behave like a major country, shoulder its due international responsibilities, safeguard world peace, and help all countries achieve common development. I hope you will take good care of yourself and play a constructive role"

Russia trained officers for attacks on Japan and South Korea Leaked military files show detailed plans for strikes on civilian infrastructure in event of war

Ein Leak aus der @FinancialTimes, der viel zu wenig Aufmerksamkeit bekommen hat.

So konkret sind die bereits Jahre alten (!) russischen Szenarien für einen potentiellen Angriffskrieg gegenüber Japan und Südkorea.

www.ft.com/content/d345...

Nippon Steel may sue U.S. government over Biden's acquisition block 'We can't sit around doing nothing so we plan to take action soon,' said Nippon Steel's president Tadashi Imai.

Nippon Steel is considering taking legal action against the U.S. government after President Joe Biden decided to block the company's acquisition of U.S. Steel, the Japanese steelmaker said Monday.

Biden's tarnished industrial legacy He began our Great Rebuilding, but his approach had fundamental flaws.

Spot on. Biden deserves praise for Chips & IRA. But he fell down on binding allies into a broader industrial vision. IPEF a disaster. No steel-aluminum deal w/the EU. Overall trade policy & Nippon Steel decision both showed how domestic politics trumped strategy

open.substack.com/pub/noahpini...

Watching China in Europe—January 2025 Welcome to Watching China in Europe, a monthly update from GMF’s Indo-Pacific Program. Now more than ever, the transatlantic partners need clarity and cohesion when it comes to China policy. In this m...

It will be a massive challenge for Europe to keep its bearings on China—let alone work hand in hand with Washington—if cronyism, conflicts of interest, and cold “America First” commercial calculations are permeating US policy

My first Watching China in Europe of 2025👇

www.gmfus.org/news/watchin...

By sea and sky: Worries mount over threats to Japan's security Worries have been mounting in Japan over the nation's security in the wake of a string of incidents since the summer of 2024, with Chinese and Russian forces intruding further into the country's terri...

Chinese and Russian forces are intruding further into Japan's territory than ever before, and DPRK missile test activity remains high. This excellent infographic captures the activity.
asia.nikkei.com/static/vdata...