Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister ISHIBA Shigeru has the potential to forge a profound personal connection with President-elect Donald Trump through their shared religious beliefs, as suggested by a column in Abema Times.

This ‘buddy relationship,’ based on mutual respect and understanding, could significantly shape the future of Japan-US relations.

Former Tokyo Governor and Journalist MASUZOE Yoichi writes how former Prime Minister ABE Shinzo bonded with Trump through golf. He says Ishiba is not a good golfer, but Japan’s Prime Minister and Trump have something in common: religion.

“Ishiba is a Christian, a Protestant Christian, and on top of that, he belongs to the same denomination as Trump: the Presbyterians,” Masuzoe stated. “If Ishiba meets Trump, he can just hold the same Bible and say, ‘I’m a Presbyterian and believe in the same God,’ and that would do it.”

“Golf buddies are important, but America is a (predominantly) Protestant country, and religion carries a different weight than in Japan,” as pointed out by the column.

He points out that Ishiba and Trump believe in the religion of the people who created America.

“If [Ishiba] says, ‘God said that he wanted to improve Japan-U.S. relations,’ then it’s the same God,” Masuzoe said. “If the ‘hearts’ of religion are connected, then golf is no longer an issue.”