Economic gloom spreads before BOJ meeting

So once again, the Japanese authorities are pinning the entire blame of the slowdown on foreigners. It's all about exports, it's all about China, it's all about Europe. It's all about everything.... except Japan itself.

Hello? Most of Japan's economic activity is domestic consumption. So, Japan, now that you're a mature economy, maybe it's time to address that tiny little issue, doncha think?

Car exports to China are tumbling?. And yes, car sales are also tumbling in Japan, too. Tolling all of Japan's highways making the cost of domestic travel exhorbitant, doesn't exactly encourage consumers to move around, does it?

Blaming foreigners is easy. Addressing structural issues at home is a real challenge, fit to be handled by a mature society. This country needs a Margaret Thatcher, not a bunch of xenophobic oji-sans.

TPP would go a long way in curing Japan's ills.

But then they'd have to admit that the world doesn't think as highly as Japanese goods as Japan thinks about Japanese goods.

And they'd have to admit that in many respects, other countries' goods are better and cheaper than Japanese goods.

Closing off your market NEVER increased a country's wealth.

It's coming high time to choose Japan. Which do you want:

A) A continued underlying assumption of Japanese superiority in all things

B) Economic growth.

You can only choose one.