Asia Society 13d ago

LOS ANGELES, June 9, 2026 — Asia Society Policy Institute Senior Vice President Wendy Cutler and USC Gould School of Law Center for Transnational Law and Business Executive Director Brian Peck examine the state of the U.S.-Japan economic relationship amid tariffs, supply chain realignment, and recent tension between Japan and China. (45 min., 39 sec.) As part of Asia Society Southern California's U.S.-Japan Initiative Program IV, the discussion spans Japan's efforts to diversify its trade partnerships beyond the United States, the structure and limitations of the 2025 U.S.-Japan trade framework, and the $550 billion investment commitment Japan made under that agreement. Cutler addresses the shift toward economic security provisions in recent trade deals, the contrast with traditional rules-based agreements negotiated under prior administrations, and the growing urgency around critical minerals as a point of leverage for China. Drawing on her experience as a former lead U.S. trade negotiator, Cutler also reflects on how Japan is navigating its relationship with China, the durability of recent diplomatic gains between the two countries' leaders, and what continued cooperation on economic security could mean for the broader U.S.-Japan alliance. Subscribe for more videos like this: http://AsiaSociety.org/YouTube --- Support Asia Society today: http://AsiaSociety.org/Donate --- Subscribe to our newsletter to stay connected: https://asiasociety.org/email-subscriptions --- Facebook: http://facebook.com/AsiaSociety Instagram: http://instagram.com/AsiaSociety Twitter: http://twitter.com/AsiaSociety LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/asia-society/ #asiasociety #asiasocietysoutherncalifornia #trade #uschinarelations