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 …
Category: Observing Japan Blog
Latest at FEER Forum
My latest contribution to FEER's website — "The Second Coming of Taro Aso" — can be read here.
What, me worry?
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 …
"Pride" is not just the property of the LDP
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
Recommended Book: The Peninsula Question, Yoichi Funabashi
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
Life imitates The Simpsons
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 …
See me live
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 …
Without a clue
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 …
Back stateside
I've just returned to New York City from Japan, and I'm off to Boston tomorrow morning.Posting will probably be light through Wednesday.
The BOJ battle’s winners and losers
The big news of the day is, of course, the government's decision to submit a new candidate for the BOJ governorship in place of Muto Toshiro. It is still unclear who the government will submit in his place — the LDP is reportedly sounding out the plausibility of Mr. Fukui's staying in office, although the …
Tobias S. Harris 