FROM THE EDITOR (IWAO Sumiko)

CHRONOLOGY (January – February 2006)

FOREIGN RELATIONS AND WAR RESPONSIBILITY (SHIRAISHI Takashi)

Yasukuni, War Responsibility, and Japan’s Diplomacy (WAKAMIYA Yoshibumi, WATANABE Tsuneo)

The editorial chiefs of two major newspapers discuss Prime Minister Koizumi’s visits to Yasukuni Shrine, noting that this shrine not only venerates class A war criminals but also operates a memorial museum that glorifies militarism. Both favor construction of a new memorial facility for the war dead and clarification of the responsibility among those who led Japan into war. (Ronza, February 2006)

Koizumi’s Neglected Foreign Policy Agenda (HOSOYA Yûichi)

All of Japan’s great postwar prime ministers have set and achieved ambitious foreign policy goals, but not Koizumi, whose main preoccupation has been postal privatization. During his administration, Japan has become increasingly alienated from the rest of the world. In his remaining months in office, he should put foreign policy back on an active track. (Ronza, January 2006)

Improving Japan’s Relations with China and South Korea (SHINAGAWA Masaji, OGOURA Kazuo )

Japan’s relations with China have been characterized as “politically cold, economically hot,” but if the present trend continues, the political chill may spread to the economic sphere. And Tokyo’s relations with Seoul are characterized by a discrepancy in diplomatic strategy toward North Korea. The three countries should recognize that they have great international responsibilities and act accordingly. (Sekai, January 2006)

CULTURAL ASSETS AND LIABILITIES (TAKASHINA Shûji)

Japan: The Hollywood of Manga (Matt THORN)

The predecessors of contemporary Japanese manga were the comic strips of American newspapers, but the genre really took off in Japan after World War II, notably with the work of Tezuka Osamu. Since the 1990s manga have won wide readership in the United States and other countries; ironically, though, Japan’s own manga industry is in decline. (Ronza, February 2006)

Time to Polish the Japanese Aesthetic Sense (KUSAKA Kimindo, RICHARD Koo)

There has recently been much talk of how to strategically deploy Japan’s “soft power,” including culture. But good culture can only emerge independently of strategic considerations. Japanese culture is unlikely to be appreciated by everybody around the world, but many non-Japanese do recognize its value, and it might be to Japan’s own benefit if such people were encouraged to come and live here. (Voice, February 2006)

The Sorry State of Japanese Education (FUJIWARA Masahiko, SAKURAI Yoshiko)

An educational policy aimed at giving children “room to grow” has contributed to the decline in academic achievement. Children must be taught the fundamentals, and they also need to be challenged with difficult material. A good command of the Japanese language is fundamental to all other pursuits. (Chûô Kôron, January 2006)

NORMALIZING ECONOMIC POLICY (NARIAI Osamu)

Next on the Agenda: Balancing the Budget (DOI Takerô)

It is widely recognized that Japan must slash its massive fiscal deficit. This will clearly require a combination of spending cuts and higher taxes. One approach would be to turn the consumption tax into a special-purpose tax for social security, hiking the rate to cover the cost of providing for an aging population, but at the same time clarifying the need for rigorous cuts in expenditures to achieve an overall balance. (Chûô Kôron, February 2006)

Measuring the Public Debt with Corporate Accounting (AIDA Kazuo, MINAGUCHI Kôichi)

The government has started preparing financial statements that use the same principles as in corporate accounting. This has confirmed that public finances are indeed in bad shape. Unfortunately, just using corporate-accounting principles cannot pinpoint wasteful expenditures. It will be necessary to find other ways to motivate public officials to cut costs. (Shûkan Tôyô Keizai, December 17, 2005)

SILVER YEARS (KONDÔ Motohiro)

Senior Care Is Not a "Problem" (WASHIDA Kiyokazu)

Though the task of caring for an elderly parent can be daunting and may even threaten the stability of family ties, it should not be seen as a problem but rather as a normal part of the web of responsibilities everybody must share. If this burden is shaking the foundation of our lives, it indicates that that there is something untenable about the way our lives are structured. (Chûô Kôron, January 2006)

Long-Term Care for the Elderly: Human Resources Are the Key (NAKAMURA Satoki)

The public system of Long-Term Care Insurance was launched in 2000. Five years later, it has undergone a major overhaul, which has addressed some of the problems in the initial design of the program. But amid the drive to hold down costs, the authorities have not paid enough attention to the need for improved quality on the front lines of care provision, particularly in the area of human resources. (Chûô Kôron, January 2006)

KEYS TO THE JAPANESE MIND

Tea and the Culture of Sociability (TSUNOYAMA Sakae)