Wholesale prices up 3.7% in April

Thursday 15th May, 06:51 AM JST

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11 Comments

thepossum at 12:48 AM JST - 17th May

Anybody know where the article is about Japan's international competitiveness ? Once again the nation languishes in the 20 something position as the economy continues to spiral out of control. These jumps in wholesale prices are just another reflection of how out of control Japan's markets remain. The USA, which once again ranked numero uno in the worlds most competitive nation survey, saw a measly 0.02% rise in prices. Why are prices in Japan rising so quickly ? Could it be, as the competitveness scale indicates, that Japan lacks any kind of government leadership ? Or the fact that the nation is so rigid and set in it's old fashioned ways that it can't break free from the stranglehold ? I'd say its a variety of things... but I'll wait for the kyodo supplied article from the swiss based International Institute for Management Development. It's not pretty, but Japan has earned the poor showing it has received. In the meantime, watch yer yen folks... this is only the beginning of the real poo thats going to hit the fan. Japan has become an absolutely rudderless ship and is sailing towards certain doom. Batten down the hatches you are in for a wild ride !
roomtemperature at 06:32 PM JST - 17th May

thepossum conveniently didn't mention this Swiss institute also said it was the last time the US would be numero uno. International competitiveness? A joke!!! thepossum thought he found a way to bash Japan again with his "competitiveness", but is waaaaaaaaay off the mark. It's about productivity, thepossum.

Besides, the world economic forum, also Swiss based, placed Japan 8th.

http://www.weforum.org/en/initiatives/gcp/Global%20Competitiveness%20Report/index.htm

Not "in the 20 or something position", thepossum.
thepossum at 11:22 PM JST - 17th May

Roomtemp, the possum didn't bother to,

"mention this Swiss institute also said it was the last time the US would be numero uno."

Because by the end of the article the writers agreed that, and I quote:

"much of Japan's industry was in a "paralyzed state" after the bubble burst. But the US, because of it's openess, resiliance, and entrepenuership, always seems to find the ways to reinvent itself that Japan (and much of Europe) often lacks"!

Ouch ! Roomtemperature, thems some harsh remarks. Too bad JT doesn't feel fit to run the story so the rest of you can see for yourself ! again, "open, resiliant, entrepenuership, and the ability to reinvent itself" time and time again... and boy don't you non-Americans hate that. Again people, the USA at numero uno, again ! Japan will never ever see that light of day again. They simply have let their economy drain into the gutter. Wholesale prices remain out of control and the locals continue to cling to their purse strings with both hands. What a miserable existence it has become for the land of the sinking sun.
Sarge at 11:25 PM JST - 17th May

Something is worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it.
roomtemperature at 07:26 AM JST - 18th May

You can spit and kick ( as in most of your posts ) all you want, but Japan ranks 8th on the competitive list and is the 2nd largest economy in the world. That's not a 3rd world status, as you stated, at all. Nothing can change that, not even your "drain into the gutter" and "never see daylight again"-preaching. For you (again as usual) that's only wishful thinking. Now here's your candy for the day: undoubtably the US is doing much better than Japan. No reason to deny that. Happy now?
thepossum at 10:38 AM JST - 18th May

Wrong again roomtemperature. Japan ranks number 22, and still, behind China in the latest rankings of the worlds most competitive nations. Hows that for spit and kick ! This drastic, and continued increase in wholesale prices shows just how bad things have gotten. Japan cannot stop or even come close to controling this. And while other nations see minimal rises... the USA ? Just a smidgin ! What the hells wrong with Japan ? Well, read any book out there and the story line is still the same, inflexible, poor government, ineffective education system, consumer dispair, and basically a society that has not changed with the times. Boo hoo hoo !
roomtemperature at 12:16 PM JST - 18th May

"Wrong again roomtemperature. Japan ranks number 22..."

No, thepossum. I'm not wrong. Japan ranks 8th! Did you bother to check the 2007/2008 competitive index of the world economic forum?

For the other 90% of your posts....sounds nothing more than your personal frustration to me. Give it a rest, man!
thepossum at 04:55 PM JST - 18th May

"2007/2008" ??? try getting with the program roomtemperature. The lastest survey is out, as in 2008 ! And according to the worlds most respected and comprehensive yearly study done by the Swis groups "International Institute for Management Development", Japan is a solid 22 ! Ranking below China which must dig and eat at this nations xenophibic backbone !

Now roomtemp, maybe you would like to divulge more about your little survey but I somehow doubt it lives up to the one put out by the Swiss... more than 300 categories were evaluated. Also, care to share with us the top 3 from your little diddy ? I need a good laugh !

In the meantime, I see where consumer prices were up .2% in the USA. Why does Japan continue with these huge leaps like 3.7% ? Care to explain your theories to Japan's working poor ? Freetahs ? Neats ? Homeless ? Or any of the thousands of business people that have gone bankrupt recently ? Care to roomtemperature ?
roomtemperature at 09:06 PM JST - 18th May

"2007/2008" ??? try getting with the program roomtemperature. The lastest survey is out, as in 2008 ! "

As far as I can tell we're not even half way 2008. So this latest survey of this Swiss SCHOOL you're bragging about is for 2007. Right? Because your so-called "International Institute for Management Development" is nothing more than a school!!!

Now let me ask you again to answer......did you check the world economic forum? Tell me, thepossum...did you???? Not a big deal....the US is still numero uno!!! You won't get hurt!! I know you really need a good laugh!!!

2%.....3.7%.....huge leap........sigh
thepossum at 11:37 PM JST - 18th May

These price hikes are not the first for the land of the setting sun. This has been going on since well before December of last year.
westurn at 04:31 PM JST - 19th May

The World Economic Forum ? WTF ! I thought this thread was about Japan's unstoppable inflation ! Nothing positive to write here. All this talk of increased prices is not helping the common folks in the streets. It's been reported time and time again that major corporations are not passing any of their profits down to employees, and now capital gains spending has tapered off. More bad news for the once proud Japanese economy. The real sad thing though is how Japan still refuses to admit how sick it's economy is. The Swiss have it right, 22 sounds fair ! But again, like any other mental or social illness you first have to admit you have a problem. Japan can't do that ! They keep blaming everyone else for their ills. This article states thaat its

"the recent surge in crude oil prices, petroleum and coal product prices rose"

Rubbish ! Japan should be importing food products like there was no tomorrow right now. The yen/dollar exchange rates hve made for boom times if the Japanese would get over themselves and import from the US. What ? No butter ? Why ? The US has tons of the stuff. Instead, we continue with the "kawaiso" me mentality as the Japanese continue to deny the obvious, they must address the problem of domestic spending ! And to do that they need to shore up the banks, import more from the USA, fix the pension problem by taking back the money from those gov officials who stole it and then send them to jail, and finally Japan has to address its problems with English and foreigners in general. other nations are simply beating them to the punch because the Japanese can't communicate effectively, it's one reson they choose not to compete at all. But at the expense of the world economy. I'd say the Japanese lack of spending is one of the biggest threats to the world economy out there. Forget subprime loans, we got to get little Saito san to spend more !