Early in the New Year, two events occurred in the United States — one greatly delighted and the other literally dumbfounded many Japanese.

The former was the Golden Globe Awards and the latter was the presidential order to halt Nippon Steel's acquisition of U.S. Steel. At first glance, these two events seem unrelated, but they share a commonality: both exemplify the adage, “All politics is local.”

The same event is often reported in completely different ways in Japan and the United States. This itself is quite common. What’s concerning is the risk that this kind of phenomenon could lead to unnecessary misunderstandings or emotional friction between Japan and the United States.

© The Japan Times