The Japan Considered Podcast

August 10, 2007, Volume 03, Number 28Click here for a transcript of this program.Back home at last from a 24-day Grand Northern Sojourn. This program coming to you from the home studio. Hopefully with a little better sound quality. Thanks for tuning in.

This week we begin by considering a couple of important international developments. The first, how the North Korean government's abduction and imprisonment of Japanese citizens has become a political football in Japan's domestic politics. Then evidence of a subtle change in the tone of Japan's relationship with Mainland China.

The remainder of our program this week is devoted to continuation of the July 29th election postmortem. This time focusing on the response of the Abe Kantei to the shocking defeat.

And we close with a clip of Tony Rice's "Changes" that I hope you enjoy.

August 3, 2007. Volume 03, Number 27For a transcript of this program, click:http://www.japanconsidered.com/Podcasts/Scripts/070803JapanConsideredPodcastTranscript.htmlGreetings again from the Mobile Studio. Still on the road, and finally about to get another WiFi uplink. Hope all works. This week we focus on the results of the Sunday election for the Upper House. As predicted, the LDP lost, and Lost Big! This is quite an event. For the first time since formation of the party in 1955, the LDP is not the largest Party in both houses. So, it's important.This week, we'll try to sort through what actually happened, and why it happened. I'd hoped to include the significance and consequences, but that'll have to wait until next week. Continue to send your comments and suggestions to Robert C Angel @ Gmail.com. I read them all, and respond directly to as many as possible. RCA

July 27, 2007. Volume 03, Number 26For a transcript of this program, click:http://www.japanconsidered.com/Podcasts/Scripts/070713JapanConsideredPodcastTranscript.html

Greetings from the Finger Lakes Region of New York State's Southern Tier. Coming to you today, Friday the 27th, from the Mobile Studio. The northernmost point on my long trip with the Mobile Studio. Great fun. Though internet access has been spotty, at best. I"ve finally found a WiFi connection strong enough to allow me to upload the audio file and web pages.

This week we take a final look at the run-up to the Upper House election on Sunday. With a focus on the two issues I think are most critical: the government's failure to correct problems of SIA"s mismanagement of public pension records, and public resentment over enduring, pervasive problems with political funding.

No bluegrass this week. Sorry. And the sound quality of this program may not be quite what it should be. The Mobile Studio is very much a work in progress.

But thanks for tuning in. And, as always, continue to send your comments and suggestions to me at [email protected]. And click on over to the Japan Considered Project website for a transcript of this, and past, programs. As well as other resources related to Japan's domestic politics and conduct of international relations.

July 13, 2007. Volume 03, Number 25Click here for a transcript of this program.Greetings again from Spring Valley in the Midlands of South Carolina. I will be traveling for the next few weeks. So, Japan Considered Podcast postings until mid-August will depend entirely upon my access to WiFi connections to the Internet. Both to collect political and international news from Japan, and to upload the programs produced from the information collected. I hope you keep checking back, though. I haven't "Pod-Faded," as Scott Fletcher used to say.This week we look briefly at a couple of significant international issues. First, Japan's role in the international effort to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons development. Then at publication of the Ministry of Defense's first Defense White Paper. With focus on the section devoted to analysis of China's military development.Then we return to the national political scene, and consider the run-up to the July 29th Upper House election. The official campaign period began yesterday, Thursday the 12th. How will Japan's potential voters respond. There is near-unanimous agreement among Japan's political press, Punditocracy, and Tenurate that the LDP under Shinzo Abe's leadership is headed for a loss. A big loss. As one important issue, we consider the origins and significance of SIA's lost pension payments, and what is to be done.

Click here for a transcript of this program.

Greetings Again From the Japan Considered Podcast Mobile Studio. Parked here on the shore of Lake Thurmond. Enjoying the view, in spite of the heat. Thanks for dropping by.

This week we focus almost entirely on the significance of the resignation of Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma. After the negative publicity his comment on U.S. atomic bombing of Japanese cities at the end of World War Two incited.

After describing what happened, we consider the significance of Kyuma's resignation, given the options, and what it tells us about Shinzo Abe's management of the Japanese premiership. My conclusions are somewhat different than those of most of Japan's political media.

Finally we consider what I believe to be the most long-term significant aspect of the Kyuma Affair: Appointment of Yuriko Koike as his successor. And why.

June 22, 2007. Volume 03, Number 23

Click here for a transcript of this program.

This week our focus is almost entirely domestic. After brief mention of the flurry of activity related to the North Korean nuclear issue, and Secretary Hill's visit to Pyongyang.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has forced an extension of the current Diet session. A 12-day extension. That will change the date of the Upper House election next month. So, it's important. We consider the significance of this change. And the significance of Prime Minister Abe's role in the decision.

As always, send your comments and suggestions to me at [email protected]. I read them all, respond directly to as many as time permits, and consider all when preparing future programs.

June 15, 2007. Volume 03, Number 22

Click here for a transcript of this program.

Thanks for dropping by again for another Japan Considered Podcast. Each week at this time we consider events of longer-term significance in the news from Japan. Those with the potential for telling us more about how Japan's domestic politics and conduct of international relations actually works.

This week we focus on the upcoming Upper House election. Its timing, how the election is conducted, and the likely effect on Japan's domestic politics should the Ruling Coalition lose its Upper House majority. That's not a prediction, now. Just a "what-if" sort of exercise.

Please continue to send your comments and suggestions to me at [email protected]. I read them all and take each one into consideration when planning future programs.

Click here for a transcript of this program.

A hearty South Carolina welcome to one and all. Thanks for dropping by this week. Special welcome to those of you who haven't been with us before. I hope the program meets your expectations.

Each week we consider events in the news from Japan with longer-term significance for Japan's domestic politics and/or conduct of international relations. Not a news show, now. Nothing that fancy. Or comprehensive. Just interpretation and analysis of what others tell us.

This week our focus is international. First, the significance of creation of an annual 2+2 diplo-military consultation framework with Australia, and the first annual meeting.

Then we take what must be a preliminary look at Japan's participation in the G-8 Summit being held in Germany. How does Prime Minister Abe's performance compare with those of his predecessors.

Click on over too the G-8 Summit website maintained by the G-8 Research Group at Trinity College. The University of Toronto hosts the website. Here's the link. Well worth saving.

And finally we break tradition and conclude with a non-bluegrass clip today. It's close, though. Hope you like it.

Volume 03, Number 20Click here for a transcript of this program.Thanks for dropping by again to the Japan Considered Podcast. Each week at this time we consider recent events in the news with longer-term significance for Japan's domestic politics and conduct of international relations. The mobile studio is home this week, making production just a little easier. Hopefully, improving the quality of the sound.Another busy week in Japan. We begin the program with an interview with Dr. James Auer, Director of the Center for U.S.-Japan Studies and Cooperation at Vanderbilt University. A number of you asked for more information about the current debate over collective security, and Jim provides that. Great information and analysis from one of best on this subject. See a copy of Jim's interview on the Japan Considered Project Interviews page by clicking here. Then we turn to the unfortunate death on Monday of Agriculture Minister, Toshikatsu Matsuoka. Japan's political news has been full of articles on this subject. Most of them focused on the effect of Matsuoka's suicide on the Abe Cabinet and next month's Upper House election. While all that is undoubtedly important, I think there is broader, longer-term significance of Matsuoka's death that we should consider. So we do!Finally, we have that bluegrass clip I promised you last week. From The Man, John Duffey. Hope you enjoy it. If you don't yet have your own copy off "Always in Style," click here to go over to the Country Sales site to buy one. Or, it's also available for download from iTunes. Just enter "Always in Style" in the search window, or even "John Duffey." Though I warn you, results from the latter search string may cost you more than you expected to spend!

May 25, 2007. Volume 03, Number 19

Click here for a transcript of this program.

Welcome again to the Japan Considered Podcast. Coming to you this week from Iron Station in the beautiful Piedmont region of our Northern neighboring state.

This week our focus from beginning to end is international. First, a look at Japan's response to the latest North Korean missile initiative. This one conducted early this morning, Japan time. Then we consider recent events in Japan's relationship with Mainland China. Including the latest round of bilateral negotiations over the East China Sea gas exploitation issue. And other issues of significance.

I forgot to load the bluegrass clip I'd prepared for you this week when setting up the mobile studio at home. But I'll be sure to remember it next week. Sorry about that. You will find podcast subscription information at the top of this page, should you want an easier method of accessing the program. It's just a click away.