The Japan Considered Podcast

Click the link below to read a full transcript of today's programhttp://www.japanconsidered.com/Podcasts/Scripts/070223JapanConsideredPodcastTranscript.htmlThanks for stopping in again this week. We've made some progress on migration of the Japan Considered Project website to new, hopefully more reliable, commercial servers. The process isn't done yet. But at least the audio files are up. And the link above takes you to the first page on the new website server. Nothing much else there yet, however. Coming soon, as they say.This week I've devoted the whole program to more detailed consideration of the political significance of the continued decline in the public approval ratings of the Abe Cabinet. It is, I believe, the most important domestic political topic for Japan at the moment. With widespread implications. We explore a few of them, focusing on how the significance of public approval of Japan's central political executive has changed over the past few decades.Thanks for your continued attention. As always, send your comments and suggestions to me at [email protected]. I read them all with interest. And soon you will be able to reach the Japan Considered Project website at www.JapanConsidered.com.

February 16, 2007. Volume 03, Number 07 Thanks for tuning in again this week. We're still in transition. Migrating the audio files from this and all previous programs to a commercial server. And setting up a new commercial server for the Website. Sorry for the confusion. But we should have more reliable service as soon as the migration is complete.

This week we focus on two topics. The first is a non-event, the decision to delay launch of Japan's fourth surveillance satellite again. I provide some background on the program, and intend it to illustrate changes in how Japan's attentive public views such issues.

We then consider the results and aftermath of the Six-Party Talks in Beijing, including the substance of the agreement announced and the reaction from around the world.

As always, 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.

February 9, 2007 . Volume 03, Number 06. Sorry about the delayed posting of this transcript. Things are back to normal. You can find both the link to the program audio file and to the full transcript in their normal place on the Japan Considered Project website. Just go to www.JapanConsidered.org, and click on the big podcast button. In the meantime, I hope you found the audio file and the transcript text right here. The problems with the University's servers, or whatever it was, seem to be fixed now. I'm hoping to have a better solution for you in a few weeks.

This week we have a full agenda, beginning with some comments on the on-going Six-Party Talks being held in Bejing on North Korea's nuclear efforts.

We then consider the significance of the results of Sunday's elections for the LDP and Opposition parties, and Prime Minister Abe's approval ratings.

Finally we consider the outcome of the Opposition parties' decision to boycott Lower House debate on the supplementary budget bill. In protest of Health Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa's offensive remark during a speech the week before. The boycott is over, but the results have longer-term significance for Japan's parliament, I think.

We close, of course, with an inspiring clip of bluegrass, this one sure to brighten your day

February 2 , 2007 . Volume 03, Number 05.

Thanks for dropping by again this week for another Japan Considered Podcast. This week we continue to consider the problems the Abe Cabinet seems to be having with public approval ratings. And the various causes of those problems.

We also consider DPJ leader Ichiro Ozawa's decision to organize an opposition party boycott of Lower House supplementary budget debate over Health and Welfare Minister Yanagisawa's description of Japan's mothers as baby-making machines.

Then Dr. Kristina Troost of Duke University joins us to describe the excellent website she has created to provide convenient access to all kinds of on-line resources on Japan. This is one of the very best Japan-related websites on the net.

And, as usual, we close with a heart-warming bluegrass clip, this from the Original Seldom Scene.

January 26, 2007 . Volume 03, Number 04. Welcome again this week to another edition of the Japan Considered Podcast. Click on over to www.JapanConsidered.org to directly download the audio file to your own computer, or to read the text transcript of the program. And continue sending your comments and suggestions to me at [email protected]. I read them all, though it sometimes takes a while to get out a response. The more the better, though. Lots of good ideas for future programs comes through that route. Thanks.

This week we focus on the policy speeches given to the Diet today, January 26, by Prime Minister Abe and Foreign Minister Aso. Not just the content of the speech. You can read that most anywhere. But the significance of the items they chose to highlight in their speeches.

We also look at the results of the Miyazaki Prefectural gubernatorial election, and the surprise win of a comedian known as Sonommama Higashi. With no organized political party support. What does that tell us about the evolution of Japan's electoral politics?

And we close with a splendid bluegrass clip from the Wind Riders of North Carolina. They really do -- I'll admit! -- know how to play bluegrass up there.

January 19, 2007 . Volume 03, Number 03.Thanks for dropping in again to the Japan Considered Podcast. Lots happening in Japan of significance to domestic politics and the conduct of international relations. We have to be even more selective than usual this week, however, since we have an excellent interview with Dr. James Auer, director of Vanderbilt University's Center for U.S.-Japan Studies and Cooperation.

We'll also consider encouraging events related to political funds reporting revelations we've discussed during the past few weeks. And I introduce another excellent source of English language information on Japan's politics. This one unapologetically from the Left. It is the "Japan Press Weekly," produced by the Japan Communist Party. You can find it on the web at http://www.japan-press.co.jp/

And we close with a remarkable bluegrass clip. This one from a 1972 album by the Seldom Scene featuring John Starling on "Raised by the Railroad Line." You can buy the album at Rebel Records by clicking here. Or, just go to iTunes, click on the iTunes store, and punch in Seldom Scene. All of Act I is there, or you can buy the individual songs. Enjoy

January 11, 2007 . Volume 03, Number 02.Welcome again to the Japan Considered Podcast. And a day early this week. I leave for a conference early tomorrow morning. So it's today or never for this week's program. And we have material that just can't wait.

After considering continuing reports of LDP political "sloppy bookkeeping" and what it means for Japan's electoral politics, we take a preliminary look at Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's tour of Europe and NATO. More on that next week after we have better information.

The biggest treat,however -- well, other than the bluegrass -- this week is an interview with Mr. Gregg Rubinstein, Director of GAR Associates in Washington, D.C. Gregg joined us via the SkypePhone yesterday, and discusses the significance of the elevation of Japan's Defense Agency to ministerial status. As before, Gregg provides us with lots of useful information and interpretation.

And we close with an instrumental that features John Duffey's incomparable mandolin playing. This again from the Seldom Scene's "Live at the Cellar Door," recorded back in the 1970s.

Enjoy, and I hope you join me next week when we will again consider the longer-term significance of events in the news for Japan's domestic politics and conduct of international relations.

January 5, 2007 . Volume 03, Number 01.A somewhat belated Happy New Year to all of you. Thanks for tuning again to the Japan Considered Podcast for another program. Each week at this time we select a few items from Japan's news and consider their longer-term significance for Japan's domestic politics and conduct of international relations. Also, from time to time, we are joined on the program by another specialist on Japan, who shares their interpretation of events and prospects.

This week we begin with consideration of the significance of continuing disclosure in Japan's political press of campaign financing scandals for LDP politicians. Following that we are joined by Francis A. Moyer, Director of North Carolina's Japan Center, in Raleigh, North Carolina. He discusses developments in Japan's stock market since he worked there throughout much of the 1980s as a stock analyst.

We conclude the program with a short clip from a Virginia-based bluegrass band, Lakeside Junction. This band no longer exists, unfortunately. But their sound has been preserved, thanks to banjoist, Mr. Bill Krumpter.

December 29, 2006. Volume 02, Number 46.Good Morning, again, for the final Japan Considered Podcast of 2006. Thanks for dropping by. And special thanks to you long-time listeners. It doesn't work without you. So I appreciate your attention. And look forward to continuing these weekly programs of commentary and analysis concerning Japan's domestic politics and conduct of international relations in 2007.

This week we return to the problems the Abe Kantei seems to be having communicating with Japan's attentive public. Resolution of the Professor Homma fiasco we mentioned last week, eruption of a new political funding scandal, this time within the Cabinet itself, and its more rapid resolution. And then consideration of the significance of Yoshimi Watanabe's appointment to succeed Genichiro Sata as Minister of State responsible for administrative reform and regional revitalization.

Happy New Year to all.

December 22, 2006. Volume 02, Number 45.Good Morning, from beautiful Spring Valley in the Midlands of South Carolina. Thanks for dropping in again. This week we consider developments related to LDP factions. Specifically, Taro Aso's creation of his own faction, that appears to be a traditional LDP faction. Then Tsutomu Takebe's organization of what we might call an "anti-faction-faction" composed of younger LDP members who have yet to join factions. Then we continue consideration of the Abe Cabinet's continuing difficulty with its relationship to Japan's attentive public, and speculate on some possible explanations.Professor Dennis Yasutomo then joins us to provide some balance to my Kantei commentary with information about some Kantei initiatives that seem to be working as they were intended to work. Especially the Asia Gateway Project.And we conclude with a clip from the Infamous Stringdusters' "My destination."