Following the 2008 global financial crisis, Fu Ying, then spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, spread the phrase, “China is up, the U.S. is down” across the world with her fluent English.
The shift towards electric vehicles (EV) is a movement that paves the way for realignments that transcend national borders and industries, such as in the form of Japanese and American automobile manufacturers creating partnerships.
On October 24, 2025, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, in her first policy speech since taking office, declared that combating rising prices—which are weighing heavily on household finances—would be “the government’s top priority.” As a central pillar of that effort, she strongly committed to reducing the gasoline tax.