Oren Cass, the founder and chief economist of conservative think tank American Compass, believes that "making things matters" ― and that tariffs play a crucial role in rebuilding American industry.
The 41-year-old is not part of the Trump administration, but is closely aligned with key figures like Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
In late March, Cass visited Japan for the first time at the invitation of the Japan Foundation. He sat down with NHK deputy chief commentator Kaori IIDA for an interview in Kyoto on March 21.
*The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
