PM makes vague call to ministers for economic stimulus measures

After all the public spending, there's only one type of stimulus they haven't tried yet, and it doesn't cost the government a yen: deregulation.

Fat chance that's going to happen. Too many vested interests to upset.

In comparison with how the US is taking months to carefully evaluate and determine the appropriate leader for the nation upon clarifying his elaborated views on how he seeks to improve and guide the future direction of their economy, it is so depressing to again realize after all this time and with all the overwhelming challenges Japan is confronting that the captain and chief and team already in power seem to have little idea thus unable to provide much clarity on where exactly the country's economy should be heading to stimulate larger and more sustainable growth. Certainly not something to be hastily compiled and packaged out of nowhere in a month's time. The think nothing say nothing do nothing strategy may work for the territorial issue with China, but certainly not for this. J-people the younger generation in particular should be demonstrating over the overall incompetency in my humble view..

After all the public spending, there's only one type of stimulus they haven't tried yet, and it doesn't cost the government a yen: deregulation.

Fat chance that's going to happen. Too many vested interests to upset.

Indeed.

The first nation to stop this insane practice of artificially propping up the economy and set about to lower taxes, cut useless regulations, and turn their nation into the most competitive location for business will win. Unfortunately, they are all tied together by a political class controlled by special interests and central banks who would rather devalue currencies, inflate prices, and amass unimaginable debt than actually solve the problems that these same groups created. Noda, and the inexperienced Jojima, are know-nothings simply playing the same game in order to keep their offices.

It will not end well for the Japanese public.

In comparison with how the US is taking months to carefully evaluate and determine the appropriate leader for the nation upon clarifying his elaborated views on how he seeks to improve and guide the future direction of their economy,

"US"...as in United States? Of America?

Americans are about the same as the Japanese....largely apathetic, manipulated by a compliant media, and with too many people dependent on a paternal government. Noda is doing nothing less than than what Obama has done and wishes he could do in the next 3 weeks.

If Japanese were more interested in politics, the DPJ could point out to the nation that it's the LDP and their goldfish parties that have been blocking the bill. That should work, because the opposition would be seen as "bad dudes" by the nation.

Deregulation is a good idea, but it would take years before the real impact kicks in. In the long term, it's a very necessary idea to implement, as Japan's economy has been in trouble for years. The govs, the DPJ and the LDP, have tried all the old ways to kickstart the economy in vain. It would involve pain and need safety guard this time (unlike Koizumi's), but this is much better than the bond-issuing cocaine party.

The Japanese need to understand the virtue of small government (not in a radical Republican sense), instead of depending on the big government budget that they cannot afford anyway.

" Americans are about the same as the Japanese....largely apathetic, manipulated by a compliant media, and with too many people dependent on a paternal government. Noda is doing nothing less than than what Obama has done and wishes he could do in the next 3 weeks."

So true. People are so mentally sedated and addicted to handouts that most only vote for whoever promises more freebies.

This guy would make a good Republican in the US.

There are no short or quick fixes for an economy. A bad economy is due to bad policies. The fact they increase sales tax during economic bad times shows that they are not serious about helping the economy. It means that people will have less to spend and thus less tax revenue as the money that would have been used to but goods now goes to taxes and hurts the small businesses. Deregulation is a major part of turning the economy around but government is afraid that they will lose the revenue but more importantly lose control. Every dollar spent on stimulus will make recovery that much more difficult as it will add to the debt and cause future generations to pay, depressing the economy even longer. All politicians are there to take care of themselves first and make sure they get re-elected so they can line their pockets with money from special interest groups who desire more regulations.