FROM THE EDITOR (SHIRAISHI Takashi)

CHRONOLOGY (March – April 2009)

EXAMINING JAPAN’S OPPOSITION (TAKENAKA Harukata)

What’s Wrong with the DPJ? (SENGOKU Yoshito, interviewed by HASHIMOTO Gorô)

A veteran journalist and a prominent figure in the Democratic Party of Japan discuss the shortcomings of Japan’s leading opposition force. In a dialogue conducted before Ozawa Ichirô’s resignation as DPJ president, they rue the reluctance of many in the party to confront their scandal-tainted leader. Another problem is the lack of a clear agenda, with the leadership failing to set clear directions on issues like defense. (Chûô Kôron, June 2009)

Goodbye Tanaka-Style Politics, Hello New Center (KITAOKA Shin’ichi)

From the 1970s on, the Liberal Democratic Party has failed to keep pace with Japan’s changing realities. While capable of responding to small changes, it has ceased trying to tackle major issues. Under Tanaka Kakuei’s lead, the LDP tried to solve problems by simply throwing money at them. But the supply of funds has dried up, and so has support for the party.(Chûô Kôron, May 2009)

LOOKING BEYOND PROTECTIONISM (NARIAI Osamu)

The Failure of Neoclassical Capitalism (IWAI Katsuhito, ITOH Motoshige)

The global economic crash has killed the neoclassical theory of economics. It is clear that globalization has resulted in increased instability. We should improve regulation so as to bring macroeconomic imbalances under a certain degree of control. But crises are bound to keep occurring, so we must also figure out ways of dealing with them after they occur. (Voice, June 2009)

Reversing the Slide into Protectionism (HAMA Noriko)

The “beggar thy neighbor” disease has become a global epidemic as countries rush to adopt me-first policies to protect domestic finance, industry, and labor. The way things are going, people are liable to embrace the idea of full-fledged national economic seclusion. Japan needs to raise its voice in a campaign to reverse this dangerous trend. (Voice, June 2009)

Don’t Let Globalization Go into Reverse (KASHIWAGI Shigeo)

The G20 summit in April did not end the uncertainty about economic prospects. That does not mean it was a failure, but further coordinated efforts will be required. One key need is to reform the architecture of international finance, particularly the IMF. China and other countries deserve an increased say in international institutions and forums, and they must be encouraged to accept concomitant responsibilities. (Chûô Kôron, June 2009)

Electric Cars and Solar Energy: Keys to Japan’s Future (MASUKO Osamu, MURASAWA Yoshihisa)

President Masuko of Mitsubishi Motors discusses the prospects for the i-MiEV, which is being launched this summer as the first fully electric vehicle from a Japanese automaker. The EV has the potential to transform the automobile industry and to have a major impact on other fields. And the burden on the environment can be further reduced by promoting use of solar energy to generate electricity for cars and other uses. (Bungei Shunjû, June 2009)

“Eco Towels” Attract an International Following (IKEUCHI Keishi, interviewed by FUJISAWA Kumi)

Determined to produce good products while minimizing the impact on the environment, Ikeuchi Towel Co., a small company in a provincial city, has won success with its “towels woven by the wind,” whose production is powered by electricity generated entirely by wind turbines. Though it has just 25 employees, it has established a presence for itself in markets outside of Japan. (Voice, June 2009)

DIPLOMACY

Toward a Sustainable Relationship with the US Forces in Japan (MATSUZAWA Shigefumi)

The governor of Kanagawa Prefecture, home to some major US military bases, suggests changes to deal with the problems caused by the presence of the US forces in Japan. The current Japan-US Status of Forces Agreement, which defines the terms under which these forces operate, is overdue for revision. And if this cannot be accomplished promptly, the next best option is to conclude separate special agreements with regard to specific problems, environmental issues in particular. (Chûô Kôron, June 2009)

CHINA

Twenty Years After Tiananmen, Nothing Has Changed (SHIMIZU Yoshikazu)

Beijing’s current prosperity seems a world away from the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, but the rift between the authorities and the public appears, if anything, to have deepened. The protests were sparked by resentment of the privileges enjoyed by Communist Party officials. This problem persists. If China hopes to succeed with its new formula for growth, the party leadership must control the bloated interest groups within the party. (Chûô Kôron, June 2009)

VOICES OF JAPAN

Watching Shôgi from Silicon Valley (UMEDA Mochio, interviewed by KÔNO Michikazu)

WAR RESPONSIBILITY

Bumbling Command, Squandered Forces (Yomiuri Shimbun War Responsibility Reexamination Committee)

Chapter 9 of the book From Marco Polo Bridge to Pearl Harbor: Who Was Responsible? (The Yomiuri Shimbun, 2006). Based on a series of articles in the daily Yomiuri Shimbun, this book examines the responsibility for Japan’s taking the path to war first with China and then with the United States.