Takashi Hara and the Wilsonian Challenge
From 1918-1921, Takashi Hara skillfully led Japan’s first modern government which was truly commanded by elected politicians, a major step forward for democracy.
Monthly Archives: January 2024
Operation Lone Star Boosts Republicans
While it is on dubious legal and sometimes factual ground, Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s “Operation Lone Star” looks to be a political winner in 2024, causing headaches for US Democrats both at the national and local levels.
“Genocide Joe” Seeks Helping Hand from Beijing
In a tacit admission that US influence in the Islamic world is in freefall, the Biden administration is openly seeking the People’s Republic of China’s help in extricating itself from its self-inflicted fiascos in Gaza and Yemen.
Masatake Terauchi and the Rice Riots
From 1916-1918, General Masatake Terauchi spent a mostly unhappy two years as prime minister of Japan. He successfully carried forward Japan’s involvement in the First World War, but shadows darkened both at home and abroad.
More Reform Kabuki Over Ruling Party Factions
Reform kabuki can never become actual reform until the Liberal Democratic Party is dislodged as Japan’s semi-permanent ruling party.
Visible Minorities: Positive Steps for Non-Japanese
This month’s column will offer my impressions about how much Japan has changed regarding the issues that have always been on my radar screen—society’s openness to newcomers. On that score, I have some positive developments to report.
The Emergence of the Anti-Imperial Non-West
The notion that non-Western powers might band together to resist the depredations of Europe and the United States has been around since the late 19th century, but only now has the power balance shifted to a sufficient degree that the era of Western global dominance is actually coming to an end.
Shigenobu Okuma and the First World War
From 1914-1916, Shigenobu Okuma made an unlikely return as prime minister, this time establishing a more stable administration in cooperation with the conservative oligarchs. Okuma and his dynamic Foreign Minister Takaaki Kato led the nation into the First World War, which for Japan was a relatively profitable opportunity.
Yemen Strikes Revive US War Powers Debate
The US Biden administration couldn’t resist the temptation to launch major military strikes against Houthi forces in Yemen. In doing so, it brought renewed attention to the fact that the presidential exercise of war powers has become routinely unconstitutional.
Japan Heads to the Boiling Point
While Japanese leaders continue to focus on possible future threats from external nations like China and Russia, the very immediate threat of climate change is taking hundreds of Japanese lives each year, with an allegedly inadequate response from the authorities.
