JAPANESE citizens are heading to shops to purchase Spanish products in an act of citizen solidarity with Spain after Trump’s trade threats.
Across social media individuals are posting images of their purchased Spanish goods alongside anti-war messages and sentences supporting Pedro Sanchez.
This trend comes after Trump threatened to cut all US-Spain trade following Spain’s decision to not allow the US to use military bases for Iran operations.
READ MORE: Spain’s King Felipe calls for ‘restraint’ over use of force in US-Israeli conflict with Iran
This action has not been led by the government or other corporations, rather it seems to be a grassroots move of citizen solidarity with Spain.
Participating in what is known as a ‘buycott’ by academics, consumers are sweeping the shelves and using their purchases to show their support for a foreign country, in this case Spain.
Social media posts by Japanese individuals show their Spanish jamon, wine and beer.
“Though my influence is small, I bought [the products] with feelings of support,” one individual wrote alongside their image of Horn Meier jamon and a bottle of Estrella.
Minako Saigo, a researcher and PhD graduate, shared a video of her with green olives imported from Spain.
Before uploading this video, Saigo had sent a message of support to Spain saying that the country is ‘cool and enviable’ and that others must do their ‘best’ to support the nation.
One individual described their purchase of jamon serrano as a ‘splurge’ that they made in ‘support’ of Spain.
Japan-Spain trade relations have grown in recent years, reaching a 7.8 billion record in 2024.
Spain’s top exports to Japan then were pork, ham, olive oil and wine.
It is these products that are primarily being purchased by citizens participating in this latest act of citizen solidarity.
Click here to read more Spain News from The Olive Press.
