A nationwide opinion survey conducted by The Yomiuri Shimbun found that in light of the launch of the Biden administration, the Japanese public is far less anxious about the future of U.S.-Japan relations than four years ago when President Trump was inaugurated. In the survey, 49% of respondents said they feel “equally hopeful and anxious about the future of U.S.-Japan relations,” 28% said they are “more hopeful,” and 19% said they are “more anxious.”

In a survey conducted in January of 2017, immediately after the inauguration of President Trump, 70% said they were “more anxious,” 24% said they felt “equally hopeful and anxious,” and 4% said they were “more hopeful.” The results appear to reflect President-elect Biden’s policy of placing emphasis on multilateralism and U.S. allies as opposed to President Trump’s “America First” policy.