Japan Mulls Possible Return of Trump

Washington Post: “The U.S. presidential election has spawned a viral Japanese phrase that encapsulates the mild panic brewing here: ‘moshi-tora,’ or ‘if Trump.’ It’s a shorthand for: What if Donald Trump wins?”

“Many capitals around the world are debating the “America First” president’s potential return. But in Japan — which values predictability and loves abbreviated phrases — the anxiety over Trump 2.0 has been neatly packaged in ‘moshi-tora,’ a term so ubiquitous these days that it’s unavoidable while reading, watching or talking about the news.”

“The term is sure to make new headlines next week, when Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s state visit to Washington underscores the unknown: Will this be his last time meeting with President Biden in the White House?”