Asia Sentinel

Asia Sentinel

Politics

Japan’s Delicate Foreign Policy Balancing Act

Trump’s capture of the Venezuela president and his fiery rhetoric toward Greenland create a particularly difficult conundrum

Jan 16, 2026
∙ Paid
By: Yuki Tatsumi
Takaichi shakes with Trump. Photo from Prime Minister’s Office of Japan

The U.S. military operation against Venezuela seems to have set the tone for world affairs in 2026. The world seems paralyzed as U.S. allies and partners worldwide try to figure out how to respond to this unexpected action on the part of Washington, even while the Uni…

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to Asia Sentinel to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2026 Asia Sentinel · Publisher Privacy
Substack · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture