North Korea Signals Interest in Building Tokyo Ties
North Korea has been clearly signaling an interest in improving relations with Japan, although there remain far more questions than answers.
Tag Archives: Shinzo Abe
Communist Party Aims for Gender Equity
The Japan Communist Party (JCP) has made another step forward toward becoming the major national political party most committed to gender equity, but it is far from clear this approach will allow it to break into the mainstream.
Abe Era Corruption Haunts Kishida Administration
The ghost of Shinzo Abe’s political and financial corruption has again risen up to haunt his successors, staggering the already weak administration of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
Writing Kishida’s Political Obituary
Across the ideological spectrum, a consensus is emerging: Fumio Kishida is unlikely to last another year as prime minister, and even now, he is only lingering on because no credible and attractive alternative has appeared.
Kishida Skates to a “Profile in Courage”
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has been honored, together with South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol, with a John F. Kennedy “Profile in Courage Award,” despite the fact that he personally has been unwilling to take any political risks to improve Japan-South Korea relations.
Bread & Roses: Working Without a Job
The phenomenon of “working without a job” is gaining pace around the world, showing no signs of slowing down. But what does working without a job mean? Many readers may have no idea what I’m talking about. This phrase refers to working without employment; meaning that one has zero rights as workers under labor laws.
Visible Minorities: Life Lessons from a Naturalized Japanese Politician
An interview with Jon Heese, a naturalized Canadian-Japanese and elected Tsukuba City Councillor of twelve years. A Caucasian Visible Minority of Japan, Heese has long been advocating that other Non-Japanese Residents naturalize and run for office.
Visible Minorities: Remilitarization is a Bad Idea
Pushing Japan to remilitarize was never, and still is not, a good idea. This is not just because an arms race in Asia is the last thing the region needs. But also because Japan, consistently unable to face up to its own history, is simply not the country to represent the world’s liberal democracies in Asia, especially as a military power.
Avigan: Shinzo Abe’s Illusory White Knight in the Pandemic
The antiviral drug Avigan was developed by the firm Fujifilm Toyama Chemical in 2014, and it was later envisioned as Japan’s leading prospect to solve the global Covid pandemic. The drug was enthusiastically promoted by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, but this October its development was quietly terminated.
An Epitaph for Kishida’s New Capitalism
The Kishida government has declared that all Japan taxpayers have a “responsibility” to support its policy of dramatically increasing military expenditures, accepting the premise that Japan’s neighbors are likely to launch an armed attack unless deterred from doing so. This marks the effective end of “New Capitalism.”
