Japan’s Pro-Nuclear Labor Union
Explainer for Denryoku Soren, the Federation of Electric Power Related Industry Worker’s Unions
Category Archives: Economy
Steven Clemons on the Trump Trade Shakedown
Steven Clemons lays out his view of why the Trans-Pacific Partnership failed and Donald Trump’s expected trade policies
Junichiro Koizumi Confronts Nuclear Lies
Former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi explains why he radically changed his views on nuclear power.
Falling Workforce Hits Convenience Stores
The declining workforce is already having an economic and social impact across Japan, and one industry which is already facing major changes is that of convenience stores, which depend on the existence of a pool of cheap labor in order to thrive. The largest chains such as Seven & i Holdings, Lawson, and FamilyMart are on the front lines.
Abenomics is Dying
A policy begins when it is announced by its policymakers, but it can be a much trickier matter to judge when a policy ends. Still, we may now say with some degree of confidence that the era of Abenomics is coming to an end. This is not dependent on whether today’s market meltdown in China is just a blip on the screen or the signal for something much more significant.
Fast Food Chains Crowd into Japanese Market
Foreign fast food and casual dining companies are ready to take a bite out of Japan’s food market, in spite of the country’s hampering tax hikes and reports about the struggles of major players like McDonald’s. In quick succession at the start of this year, a string of overseas companies, mainly American, announced that they would enter the Japanese market.
LCCs No Friend to Regional Revitalization
Local communities and governments hoping for an economic boost through a direct connection to Narita Airport’s newly-opened Terminal 3 might be in for a disappointment. The terminal currently hosts five low cost carriers (LCCs), companies that tend to operate only on highly profitable and popular routes.
Kuroda Appeals for Economic Momentum
The Japanese economy has emerged from recession, helped along by low oil prices and a surging stock market. But at a household level optimism remains elusive.
Abenomics Beyond the Nikkei
The Nikkei, Japan’s most important stock index, hit a 15-year high last Friday with closing figures above the 19,000 mark. The advance of the stock market, which is largely owed to multinationals operating overseas profiting from Abenomics’ policy of monetary easing, along with a stable increase in demand from the United States, is a welcome success for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whose hesitance to implement or clearly define the crucial “third arrow” of his economic policy has been criticized by politicians and economists alike.
Abenomics’ Arrows Yet to Hit the Mark
One of the major reasons for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s reelection last December, apart from a weakened and divided opposition, was the stability of economic policy. With a weakened yen, a stock index that is surging, and long-awaited inflation instead of deflation, Abe has been able to claim several successes.
