I have already written one retrospective essay on 2008 in Japanese politics, but I wanted to look back in more detail at this year's events and crystallize the year into a handful of lessons.As 2008 enters its final days, what have we learned about the state of the Japanese political system?First, and most importantly, the …
Tag: Fukuda Yasuo
The final word on Fukuda
The word in the Japanese media is that Fukuda Yasuo's resignation came as a complete surprise, reportedly made even without consulting with his wife.The LDP was blindsided. The public, it seems, is angry over Mr. Fukuda's "irresponsibility." The DPJ has already called for a general election.I was not among those who wrote Mr. Fukuda off …
Aso Taro’s poisoned chalice
With Fukuda Yasuo's resignation, there is little question that the frontrunner to replace him (perhaps the only candidate to replace him) is Aso Taro.Mr. Aso may regret it.Taking the helm with the LDP in even greater shambles than it was when he ran against Mr. Fukuda in September 2007 to succeed Abe Shinzo, a Prime …
Fukuda resigns
The autumn extraordinary session of the Diet has been looking quite similar to the 2007 extraordinary session of the Diet.We can discuss whether history rhymes or repeats, but one thing is clear:Prime Minister Fukuda Yasuo has resigned, less than one year into his tenure as prime minister.The questions on the table are obvious. Will public …
The onslaught begins
Last week, when Amari Akira announced his support for Aso Taro's taking over for Fukuda Yasuo when the latter's public approval dips below twenty percent, I wondered, "Will Mr. Amari's remarks be followed by a series of leaks to the press from anonymous LDP sources about disarray in the government and Mr. Fukuda's inadequacies as …
Amari calls for Aso
In the wake of Mori Yoshiro's "endorsement" of Aso Taro on Sunday, Amari Akira, METI minister in the first Fukuda cabinet, gave a full-throated call on Mr. Aso's behalf on the BS11 program "Inside Out.""In the event that the Fukuda cabinet's approval rating falls beneath twenty percent," he said, "calls for a reorganization of the …
The Fukuda standoff
After weeks of debate within the LDP and between the LDP and Komeito, the government has suggested that the autumn extraordinary session is likely to begin no earlier than mid-September. A final decision will be made on Tuesday, 19 Aug.As MTC notes, the late start means that the future of the Maritime Self Defense Forces …
The Fukuda government’s China tightrope walk
The gyoza scandal reopened just as the Beijing Olympics opened, with the Fukuda government on the defensive in light of revelations that it acceded to the Chinese government's request that Tokyo not release information about the presence of poisoned dumplings within China.Part of the problem is a statement by newly appointed MAFF minister Ota Seiichi, …
Continue reading The Fukuda government’s China tightrope walk
Recipe for disaster
The more I look at the new Fukuda cabinet and its first days in office, the more I'm convinced that the Fukuda cabinet is, in MTC's words, designed to "set up the LDP for a wipeout in the next House of Representatives election."In bringing Kaoru Yosano into the cabinet while also giving Nakagawa Hidenao a …
Flailing Fukuda
I have an op-ed on the Fukuda reshuffle in the Tuesday edition of the Wall Street Asia.It can be found online here.
Tobias S. Harris 