From Global Times
Two days before US President Donald Trump's visit to Japan, A fake news story caught the globe's eye on Thursday- Japan's Panasonic said it was suspending business with Huawei "to comply with restrictions".
It was reported that roughly 25 billion yuan worth of Panasonic goods were produced by Huawei in 2018
That being said, if the news were true, Panasonic 's move could be equated to cutting its own wrists.
But Panasonic soon denied the rumor saying "currently Panasonic Corp is still supplying Huawei"
The story hype has an inextricable connection with Trumps upcoming visit to Japan.
But Trump's real purpose is more about turning Japan into the biggest pawn to contain China.
In terms of procuring core parts, Japan is a crucial source for Huawei. According to The Nikkei," Huawei procured roughly 700 billion yuan worth of goods from Japanese major companies"
China is not the only victim of the US launched trade war. Japan is too. They can hardly remain unscathed during the China-US trade conflicts.
If US demand for China's High-tech products is to be greatly reduced, relevant Japanese industries such as semiconductor manufacturers, which have been exporting substantial quantities of components to China, will be hurt.
Many Japanese companies rely on doing business with their Chinese partners like Huawei. Mature industrial chains have been shaped between China and Japan.
It's time for Abe to think this through.