930148mike said...

930148mike at 03:23 PM JST - 10th February

Japanese voters are angry with the LDP and Prime Minister Aso over the twin issues of political gridlock and the worsening recession. The chief economist of Japan's central bank, Mr Kazuo Momma, has said that Japan's economy is deteriorating at a pace unseen in the past half century. This candid…

Posted in Former cabinet minister Watanabe says LDP is like Titanic at 03:23 PM JST - 10th February
930148mike at 09:36 PM JST - 3rd February

The global recession is now hitting Japan and the impact is hard. Many of Japan's previously super-profitable and hitherto seemingly impervious iconic corporations are now haemorrhaging - in 2008 Panasonic lost US$1.0 billion; Toyota lost US$1.6 billion; Honda lost US$1.6 billion; Sony lost US$2.9 billion; Toshiba lost US$3.0 billion; NEC…

Posted in Japan stocks fall on dire earnings at 09:36 PM JST - 3rd February
930148mike at 11:51 PM JST - 24th January

It is clear that the beleaguered Aso Government and the newly-inaugurated Obama Administration are keen to maintain and to cement mutual ties between Japan and the United States, such linkages now extending over the five decades since 1952. Both countries need the other - Japan needs the comforting protection of…

Posted in Japan eager to build ties with Obama at 11:51 PM JST - 24th January
930148mike at 01:04 PM JST - 14th January

The LDP Government of Mr Taro Aso is floundering in a turbulent sea of unpopularity and seems about to go under. Some business leaders in Tokyo are openly predicting that Mr Aso will fall as early as March 2009 and that DPJ leader, Mr Ichiro Ozawa, will be the new…

Posted in 2nd extra budget passes lower house despite opposition protest at 01:04 PM JST - 14th January
930148mike at 03:59 AM JST - 13th January

The latest opinion polling in Japan makes grim reading for Prime Minister Aso and the LDP/New Komeito Coalition he leads. Public disapproval is now at an eight year high and almost 50% of interviewees prefer DPJ Leader, Ichiro Ozawa, as prospective Prime Minister. Further, prominent LDP figures such as Yoshimi…

Posted in Aso rejects calls to dissolve lower house as trade for budget approval at 03:59 AM JST - 13th January
930148mike at 09:31 PM JST - 8th January

As a leading member of the Group of Eight, Japan can make a substantial contribution towards peace efforts in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Gaza Strip. Noted for its commitment to human security and for its substantial allocation of humanitarian aid throughout the world, Japan can quietly, yet effectively, influence…

Posted in Japan promises Italy, Iran more efforts on Gaza at 09:31 PM JST - 8th January
930148mike at 04:24 PM JST - 4th January

With a mere 21% Cabinet support rating and a 73% public disapproval level, the days of the Aso-led LDP/New Komeito Coalition seem to be gradually but surely running out. Should the DPJ be the majority Party in the Diet following the next Election - due no later than in eight…

Posted in Opposition leader Ozawa says people will opt for change of power at 04:24 PM JST - 4th January
930148mike at 06:41 PM JST - 21st December

Japan's economy needs the 88.5 trillion yen (or US$990 billion) boost proposed by the Aso Government if the nation is to recover its prosperity. Only two days ago, the Bank of Japan cut short-term interest rates to an unprecedented 0.1%, following grim predictions from the Cabinet Office. The Government expects…

Posted in Gov't tables record Y88.548 trillion budget to buoy economy at 06:41 PM JST - 21st December
930148mike at 05:13 PM JST - 9th December

It is important that the US and Japan integrate their policy stances on the sensitive and emotional issue of North Korean abductions of Japanese citizens in the 1970s and earlier. Japan, with some justification, felt badly let down by the US when it removed North Korea from the list of…

Posted in U.S. says it will continue trying to resolve N Korea's abduction issue at 05:13 PM JST - 9th December
930148mike at 12:00 AM JST - 2nd December

The news item about Prime Minister Aso's reading misses the essential point. Mr Aso is now between a rock and a hard place, with popular support for him and his Cabinet plummeting and members of his own Party hinting at large scale defections unless a Lower House Election is called,…

Posted in Aso buys books on diplomacy, but no comics at 12:00 AM JST - 2nd December