Japanese businesses are looking at the American political process in horror as Donald Trump appears to be closer to clinching the Republican Party nomination for President.  A new poll shows most Japanese businesses believe a Trump presidency would harm bi-lateral security and business ties.

On the campaign trial, the fascist, nationalist demagogue Trump accuses Japan of "stealing" US jobs, without providing specifics.  He frequently portrays America's important ally Japan as freeloading on the joint security arrangement, and has threatened to withdraw US service members from Japan unless it pays more to feed and house the 50,000 it hosts.  Worst of all, Trump suggests that Japan needs nuclear weapons to ease the US financial burden for its defense.  That's not only deeply offensive to Japan, the only country ever attacked with Atomic Bombs, but it contradicts decades of US foreign policy based on reducing the number of nuclear weapons in the world.

In the latest Reuters news agency monthly corporate survey, 55 percent of firms said that Trump would be bad for business in the United States and that Japanese firms would pull back investments there.  78 percent of firms thought Japan’s security environment would deteriorate under a Trump administration, with many doubting that Trump would honor defense agreements if Japan were to face a crisis.

In written comments, business leaders worried that protectionism would increase, and the US pullback on its international responsibilities would embolden China, causing increased tensions between Beijing and Tokyo.

"It is very easy to imagine China taking advantage of the power vacuum to step up military operations in the region," wrote one manager in the anonymous survey.  "In particular, Tokyo and Beijing have long been at odds over tiny islands claimed by both in the East China Sea."

"We worry that geopolitical risk would heighten a lot and Sino-Japanese relations would be extremely strained, which could result in a very negative impact on the Japanese economy," the manager added.

The same survey showed that 80 percent of Japanese firms believe Democratic Party front-runner Hillary Clinton would maintain economic and security ties at today's level - believed to be worth about US$215 billion.