The Japan Considered Podcast

March 10, 2006. Volume 02, Number 10.

Welcome

again to the Japan Considered Podcast. This week we begin with Japan's

reaction to the Chinese counterproposal on gas exploration in the East

China Sea. Then we consider the significance of the Democratic Party of

Japan's leadership problems, and interesting recent developments.

We close with a web audio tour of the resources offered on Japan Media Review site at the University of Southern California.

Here are a few links to individuals and organizations mentioned during today's podcast:

People's Republic of China, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Democratic Party of Japan

The Japan Considered Project

Sugar Hill Records

March 3, 2006. Volume 02, Number 09

Thanks

for tuning in again this week. We begin with three important

international items. First, Japan's reaction to comments made earlier

in the week by South Korean President Roh concerning revision of

Japan's Constitution.

Then we consider preparations for official

bilateral negotiations with China over the East China Sea boundary

dispute, and its signifiance.

Japan hosted Iran's Foreign

Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, this week, hoping to mediate the dispute

between Iran and much of the rest of the world over enrichment of

uranium.

Finally, we return to the Nagata e-mail flap and

consider its significance for the politics of the remainder of the

current Diet session, and then its potential significance for national

political leadership in Japan.

The closing bars of bluegrass are

worth waiting for: Tony Rice singing "There's Nothin' Like a Hundred

Miles" on his 1992 Rounder album, Native American.

Here are a few links to individuals and organizations mentioned during today's program:

Republic of South Korea, Office of the President

United Nations, Oceans and the Law of the Sea

Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Rounder Records

The Japan Considered Project

February 24, 2006. Volume 02, Number 08

Thanks

for tuning in again this week. Today we'll focus primarily on the

fall-out from the Nagata E-Mail flap we discussed preliminarily last

week. There are more details available. And we'll consider the hows,

whys, and implications of this extraordinary political event.

Following

that I take you on a short audio web tour of the English language site

of the Lower House of Japan's Parliament, or Diet. I'll show you an

easy way to get to the site, and introduce some of its more useful

features. Not the least of those is the video library maintained by the

site. Here we can view streaming video of the more important committee

hearings and plenary sessions. A very useful experience for those

interested in learning more about Japan's domestic politics. Even for

those who don't understand everything being said in Japanese.

We

close out the program, as usual, with a short clip of bluegrass music.

This week we have a few bars of Tony Rice performing "John Wilkes

Booth" from his 1992 Rounder album, "Native American."

Here are a few links to individuals and organizations mentioned on today's program.

The Democratic Party of Japan

Website of DPJ Member, Hisayasu Nagata [only in Japanese]

The Liberal Democratic Party

Rounder Records

The Japan Considered Project

February 17, 2006. Volume 02, No 07

Thanks

for tuning in again. This week we focus on international developments,

and look at the implications of a dramatic event on the domestic

political scene.

We begin with a look at recent developments in

Japan's relationship with North Korea, as Japan evaluates the results

of the most recent bilateral meetings. Then we consider the apparent

thaw in relations with China and what it tells us about Japan's overall

diplomacy.

Japan's hope of becoming a permanent member of the

United Nations Security Council is an issue we have yet to cover on

this program. This week we take a look at recent developments there,

including Japan's reaction to the South Korean announcement that

incumbent foreign minister, Ban Ki Moon, has tossed his hat in the ring.

Finally,

today we consider the implications of DPJ member Hisayasu Nagata's

surprise announcement in the Lower House Budget Committee meeting on

Thursday. Nagata charged, on the basis of an e-mail he received from a

free-lance journalist, that LDP Secretary General Tsutomo Takebe's

second son received 30 million yen from the discredited president of

Livedoor, Takafumi Horie. This event will dominate Japan's domestic

political news for at least the next week or two, and it could well

have longer-term effect on Japanese politics.

Here are a few links to individuals and organizations mentioned this week:

The Liberal Democratic Party

Web Page of DPJ Member Hisayasu Nagata [only in Japanese]

The Democratic Party of Japan

Government of North Korea

Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

North Korean Residents Association [only Japanese and Korean]

Friday, February 10, 2006. Volume 02, Number 06

Thanks for

tuning in again. We've run a little over the 20-minute objective this

time. But I hope the content justifies the extension.

Today we

consider four quite controversial issues in Japan's domestic politics

and diplomacy. The first is the fate of the bill to revise the rules of

imperial succession to allow female members of the imperial family

ascend the throne. Second is the political significance of the latest

defense procurement scandal. Third is the effect of the tainted beef

import issue on the U.S.-Japan relationship. And finally we review

results of the effort to hold bilateral talks with representatives of

North Korea.

All interesting issues that provide us with insights into Japan's domestic politics and conduct of foreign affairs.

Here are some links to individuals and organizations mentioned in today's program.

The Imperial Household Agency

The Japan Defense Agency

The U.S. Department of Agriculture

The U.S. Cattlemen's Beef Board

The Liberal Democratic Party

The Democratic Party of Japan

Government of North Korea

Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

North Korean Residents Association [only Japanese and Korean]

Friday, February 3, 2006; Volume 02, Number 05

Thanks for tuning in, and for subscribing. This week we made the 20-minute limit!

Today we clean up a few corrections, errors from past shows that listeners have been kind enough to point out.

Then

we review significant changes in Japan's relationship with the People's

Republic of China, and then take an in-depth look at significant recent

developments in two of Japan's other opposition parties, the Social

Democratic Party and the Japan Communist Party.

And we close with a clip from John Starling of the Seldom Scene singing "Gardens and Memories."

Here are a few links to individuals and organizations mentioned on today's show:

The Japan Considered Project Website

News on Japan

The Social Democratic Party of Japan [in Japanese]

The Japan Communist Party

The JCP's Japan Press Weekly

Sugar Hill Records

Friday, January 27, 2006. Volume 02, Number 03

Special welcome

to first-time listeners, and welcome back to returning listeners. This

week again has been busy for political and diplomatic Japan. But,

following advice from faithful listener and mentor on things Asian and

the communications media, Sol Sanders, I've kept the program to just

over 20 minutes.

Responding to another listener suggestion, you

now can read or download transcripts of this and the previous three

programs by clicking on the transcript link below, or by going to the

podcast page of the Japan Considered Project webpage at www.JapanConsidered.org.

We

begin with an update on the Livedoor Company/Horie scandal [last week

it was just a 'fracas'; this week it became a full-blown 'scandal']

that includes comments by Dr. Edward Lincoln of the Council on Foreign

Relations.

Then we review the eruption of another incident in

the long-running saga of the export of American beef to Japan. We

review the background of that bilateral issue as a key feature of the

"gai-atsu," or foreign pressure, pattern in U.S.-Japan relations.

We

then consider how Japan's political Opposition is combining the beef

export issue with the condominium earthquake resistance data

falsification scandal and the Livedoor stock manipulation scandal to

create a three-pronged trident with which to torment Prime Minister

Koizumi's reform plans for the current Diet session.

For several

weeks we have been thwarted by a lack of time in our efforts to take a

more comprehensive look at problems and opportunities facing Japan's

leading opposition party, the Democratic Party of Japan. This week we

made it. In the main segment of today's podcast we consider the

challenges facing DPJ President Seiji Maehara, as he tries to lead his

Party to adapt to changes in Japan's electoral environment. Divisions

in Party ideology and policy orientation combine with the self-interest

and traditional orientations of older Party leaders to challenge his

popular, or even populist approach. An approach that brings Junichiro

Koizumi's strategy to mind.

Then, as usual, we close with some inspiring bluegrass music from North Carolina's Wind Riders, a great band.

Here are a few links to individuals and organizations mentioned in today's podcast.

Council on Foreign Relations

Dr. Edward Lincoln

Interview with Dr. Lincoln on Japan Considered

United States Embassy, Tokyo

United States Department of Agriculture

The U.S. Cattlemen's Beef Board

Japan's Ministry of Agriculture

The Democratic Party of Japan

The North Carolina Wind Riders

Remember to continue to send me your comments and suggestions for the program at [email protected]. And click through the other sections of the Japan Considered Project website at www.JapanConsidered.ORG.

Friday, January 20, 2006. Volume 01, Number 03

Another busy

week, and a program that runs a few more minutes than the target of

twenty minutes. This time we look at the opening day of the 164th

Ordinary Session of Japan's Parliament, with focus on Prime Minister

Koizumi's policy address, and prospects for this session.

Then

we consider the political significance of the Livedoor Co. securities

flap that erupted Monday afternoon in Tokyo. Livedoor President Horie

ran unsuccessfully for Parliament in the last election as an

independent candidate, but with considerable support and encouragement

from the LDP. Horie is a name we're bound to hear more of during this

session of the Diet.

Then we return to the topic we began last

week, what early maneuvering in the LDP presidency race tells us about

how Japan's political environment has changed. I suggest that Koizumi

and politicians who share his perspective have a better understanding

of those changes than do the traditionalists. But also predict that the

traditionalists will continue to exercise influence over the selection

process.

Below are links to individuals and organizations mentioned during this program:

Japan Considered Project Website

Columbia, South Carolina Weather

Livedoor Co. [in Japanese]

The Liberal Democratic Party

Japan's Parliament: Lower House

Japan's Parliament: Upper House

riday, January 13, 2006. Volume 02, Number 02

Spring classes have begun here at the University of South Carolina.

Students are back, and the USC campus is altogether a brighter place. I

have an undergraduate class in Japan's foreign relations this semester.

About 50 students. Looks like a good group.

This week we run a

bit longer than usual, beginning with an update on negotiations with

China over exploitation of natural resources in the East China Sea, and

then a look at what the handling of the Shanghai Consulate Incident of

2004 tells us about relations between Japan's central political

executive and the Foreign Ministry.

Then we begin a review of

the Liberal Democratic Party's preparations for a party presidential

election to be held this September. Conditions have changed somewhat,

and to better understand the current situation we look back at the

April 2001 LDP presidential election that placed Junichiro Koizumi in

the prime minister's office.

As usual we close with some

progressive bluegrass, this time the opening of Billy Parks' "That

Memphis Sound." You can hear the whole song on the webpage he maintains

for the Dirty River Band, listed below.

Some links to individuals and organizations mentioned in today's podcast:

Dirty River Band

USC's Department of Political Science

Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Office of the Prime Minister

Japan's Liberal Democratic Party

The Japan Considered Project

Friday, January 6, 2006 Volume 02, Number 01

During this first

program of the New Year, we focus again on recent developments in

Japan's relationship with the People's Republic of China, and how

changes in Japan's domestic political environment and political

leadership have influenced events.

Next week we will turn to the

LDP and DPJ party presidential succession battles, reviewing the

candidates, how they are conducting their campaigns, and how the

competition has changed since Prime Minister Koizumi's incumbency.

A

listener last week suggested that I post transcripts of each podcast,

and make them available in the show notes. Would show transcripts be

useful? Send me an e-mail at with your opinion, as well as your

comments and suggestions on the show.

Check the Japan Considered website for more English language resources on political and Diplomatic Japan, at http://www.japanconsidered.org/.

I just posted an interview there with Professor Nathaniel B. Thayer,

author of How the Conservatives Rule Japan, in which he discusses his

early experiences in Japan and how he got into the field.

Links to individuals and organizations mentioned this week:

The Prime Minister's Office, or Kantei, Website

People's Republic of China Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Website of the Okinotorishima Island