Friday May 25, 2012

JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

For Japan, 2010 was a year to forget

By Malcolm Foster

Commentary Dec. 30, 2010 - 05:40AM JST ( 14 )

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14 Comments

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TokyoappleDec. 30, 2010 - 07:34AM JST

Sadly, 2010 will probably be one of the better years of the next 20.
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papasmurfinjapanDec. 30, 2010 - 09:47AM JST

Forget 2010, how about the last decade?
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saborichanDec. 30, 2010 - 10:06AM JST

Quite a good summary of the Japanese situation... Don't forget though, that Japan CAN change very rapidly when the situation is right...
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semperfiDec. 30, 2010 - 10:57AM JST

sabotichan : Don't forget though, that Japan CAN change very rapidly when the situation is right

THAT has been one of Japans enduring qualities : adaptibily
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Antonios_MDec. 30, 2010 - 11:53AM JST

It's not only Japan. All developed countries worldwide begin to decline. Just take a look at Europe and USA. Huge social and economic problems. I tend to believe that it is the beginning of the end for the once called "First World Countries", while it is a great opportunity for the developing countries such as India, Brazil, Thailand, Nigeria, Middle East, etc to uprise and prove that they can follow the Chinese miracle. Whether they are going to succeed, its a matter of time (and policy).

As for Japan, i don't know if we should be optimistic or pessimistic. History has proved that the Japanese can adapt easily to any kind of situation. Isolation, modernization, imperialism, microeconomic reforms, etc...all have been part of the recent Japanese history. The people who were once ready to die for the Emperor, accepted immediately the McDonalds and Hollywood. Japan is the prime example of adaptibility, so i am sure that the Japanese will figure out the way to the 21st century. The only threat of the Japanese society is this: multiculturalism. Avoid it at any cost.
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shinjukuboyDec. 30, 2010 - 02:28PM JST

Just for balance, 2010 was a great year for me.
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goddogDec. 30, 2010 - 02:58PM JST

Forgetting a year is rejecting history, and history is the only hope in not making our human errors and making a big mess out of this world more than one year at a time.
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yokomocDec. 30, 2010 - 03:41PM JST

Don't forget though, that Japan CAN change very rapidly when the situation is right...

This is one of the unexepected offshoots of the Japanese conformity - once the consensus is (eventually) set to change, the people adopt it quickly and en masse. A bit like the Ents.
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kyokenDec. 30, 2010 - 05:53PM JST

History has proved that the Japanese can adapt easily to any kind of situation.

If history is a lesson, then Japan's radical chances never came easy and always at horrible cost for society.
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Pukey2Dec. 30, 2010 - 08:19PM JST

Adaptability? If Japan could adapt, then it should have done so at least 15 years ago. I don't see anything on the horizon for Japan. How much longer are we supposed to wait?
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mushroomcloudDec. 30, 2010 - 11:02PM JST

When Japan pays down it's huge national debt held by it's citizens, it will free up what has weighed down their economy for the past 2 decades.

Otherwise, expect all of the same: ageing and inflexible society, declining economy, scarce opportunities, and a Japan that will continue fading.
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SmorkianDec. 31, 2010 - 12:34AM JST

It’s a startling contrast with the 1980s, when Japan was flush with cash and some experts believed its economy was poised to dominate the world.

Gosh, sounds like China 2010!
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SargeDec. 31, 2010 - 01:13AM JST

"Problem is, there's little to look foward to"

Only for pessimists.
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rtegaDec. 31, 2010 - 01:43PM JST

Sarge: it should have read "there's little to look forward to from an economical point of view."

The advance of other countries at the expense of Europe and the US is probably going to come down all together with the running out of cheap oil. Unless some genius finds some other cheap and easy to mine energy source really quick I think 2011 is going to be a year to really and totally forget.