This is CBSI on the world. I'm John Batchel with my colleague and friend Gordon Chang at Gordon G. Chang.

We're going to Tokyo, Lance Gatling, a principal at Nexiel Research.

Lance, the results are in. The Trump presidency has returned. That means talk of tariffs is routine.

I understand Mr. Lightheuser

will return as trade representative.

Mr. Navarro will be back in the administration.

So far, the appointments are all looking like

what are described by London as China Hawks.

I mention all this because since we last spoke at length

about Japan's politics,

the LDP was first weakened and then revived itself, I believe, by endorsing Ishiaba as prime minister

after the endorsed Ishiaba by Prime Minister beforehand.

I lost track of all these machinations.

Is the LDP now returned to authority as it has been for most of the last 70 or 80 years?

Or is there a reason to believe that Mr. Ishiaba is weakened in some fashion by this excitement?

Good day to you, Lance.

Well, hello, John. you, Lance. Well, hello, John.

Hello, Gordon. Well, I can safely say almost anything because we're in uncharted territory here.

The election of a prime minister in Japan from the minority, forming a minority government like this,

has only happened twice in Japan's modern history, with the post-war constitution.

I've been here for both. It's fascinating to watch. What happened was the lower house voted and no one got a majority.

So the upper house voted safely for Ishiiba because it's controlled by the Liberal Democratic Party,

...