Bad news for Aso Taro: progress towards substantial decentralization may be impossible to realize.So says the government's Prefectural Integration Vision consultation group, which released an interim report on Monday. The whole report is available for download here, in PDF format.According to Mainichi, the group — which was formed in January 2007 under Mr. Abe — …
Continue reading Regional decentralization is out of reach, for now
At a press conference Monday, Prime Minister Fukuda expressed his anger at the DPJ's rejection of the government's efforts to pass compromise legislation on taxation."[The DPJ] has an attitude of entirely not deliberating on the budget-related tax bill. What can the Diet do about this? Speaking honestly, this is incomprehensible."Mr. Fukuda and the LDP executive …
Most of the concerns about the lack of progress in implementing the 2006 US-Japan realignment agreement have focused on political troubles in Japan, as Tokyo has struggled to get local governments involved in the relocation of US forces in Japan to accept the terms of the 2006 agreement. With the change of government in Iwakuni …
My latest contribution to FEER's website — "The Second Coming of Taro Aso" — can be read here.
In an editorial Friday, the Hokkaido Shimbun wondered why Prime Minister Fukuda exhibits no sense of crisis despite mounting problems and falling popularity."It's strange," the newspaper writes, "that the prime minister's sense of crisis appears to be diluted," considering that the BOJ vacancy and the uncertain prospects for a compromise with the DPJ over taxes …
In this post earlier this month, I discussed the importance of "pride" — hokori (誇り) — in the thinking of the Japanese right.In this vein, Younghusband at Coming Anarchy writes of a dispute between the DPJ and The Economist over the recent cover that featured the pun "Japain."Iwakuni Tetsundo, head of the DPJ's international bureau, …
Continue reading "Pride" is not just the property of the LDP
In the year since Funabashi Yoichi, editor-in-chief of the Asahi Shimbun, finished The Peninsula Question, the US and North Korea made an agreement that restarted the Six-Party talks, overcame the Banco Delta Asia obstacle, and issued a joint statement with the other parties that included a promise by North Korea to account for its nuclear …
Continue reading Recommended Book: The Peninsula Question, Yoichi Funabashi
From io9, Gawker Media's science fiction blog, comes a report that Russia will once again be parading ICBMs in Red Square on Victory Square.This story brought to mind a moment from "Simpson Tide," an episode from the ninth season of The Simpsons:Russian official: The Soviet Union will be pleased to offer amnesty to your wayward …
I'm back in New York City now and normal blogging will resume momentarily.In the meantime, readers who will be in New York City area on Thursday, April 10 will be able to see me live at an event called "The Republic of Bloggers" at the Korea Society. The official announcement follows.The Republic of BloggersThursday, April …
LDP proposes, DPJ disposes — again.As MTC points out, the LDP did the exact same thing in introducing the nomination of Tanami Koji as it did with the nomination of Muto Toshiro: it failed to consult with the DPJ beforehand.Indeed, showing that it has learned absolutely nothing and suggesting that the government is in fact …
Tobias S. Harris 