So much good information, so little time. To help our dear listeners with research, the transliteration of names, study, or anything for which they may find a transcript useful, some more detailed show notes are provided here because full transcripts take forever and apparently aren’t seeing much demand.

(The intro and exit music is of type known as gunka, or martial music. It’s popular with the right wingers who drive around in black trucks flying the Hinomaru. The music between news items is played on a koto.)

In the news:

Abe Shinzo joined Finance Minister Tanigaki Sadakazu and Foreign Minister Aso Taro in the race for LDP president, which he is likely to win. Abe has called for constitutional reform and wants to make Japan a “more beautiful nation.”

800,000 people took part in disaster prevention (response) exercises, which included South Korean and US forces for the first time.

The US had a successful missile interception test. Donald Rumsfeld has said this would help the US intercept North Korean missiles.

Yoshinoya announced it would resume selling its famous gyudon, or beef bowl, for one day only on September 18th. Yoshinoya has insisted on US beef, banned due to fears over BSE (CJD).

Tokyo beat Fukuoka to become Japan’s nominee for the 2016 Summer Olympics, a big victory for Tokyo Governor Ishihara Shintaro.

Princess Kiko and Prince Akishino are expecting their third child in a September 6th caesarean. Tabloids reported rumors that the Prince has told friends that the child will be a boy.

In the discussion:

Ken and Garrett talk about the impending birth of a possible prince, who would be the first in the Imperial family in 41 years. They debate the importance of the birth (Is it actually important or just tabloid fodder?) and how a son would affect the debate over succession.

What will Abe do? As expected, Abe Shinzo declared his candidacy, and is widely expected to easily win the LDP presidency, which means he’ll be the next Prime Minister. Ken and Garrett speculate on what we can expect from him. He’ll probably seek constitutional reform, but will that be a new constitution or just an amendment to Article 9?

Abe have Kim Jong Il to thank for his status as front-runner due to rising nationalism in Japan. Garrett thinks the notorious textbook issue is overblown, Ken thinks it’s important. (The textbooks downplay Japan’s aggression in WWII and have drawn protests from China and Korea, but were not as wdiely used in Japan as implied by news reports.) The small issues might keep Japan and China from focusing on larger issues that they need to resolve. Richard Armitage gave the sensible advice to the next PM of immediately paying a visit to the neighbors. Garrett is pessimistic over the likelihood of Abe’s being able to get the small issues out of the way.

An explanation of factions and the LDP’s internal election process - the 403 Diet members each get a vote, the remaining 300 votes are split up among other Party organizations. Abe has the support of the powerful Mori faction to which he belongs and to which current PM Koizumi used to belong. The faction is headed by unpopular former PM Yoshiro Mori.

Who’s nervous about constitutional change? Public opinion in Japan and the views of Abe and his supporters make remaining pacifistic unrealistic. A very brief explanation and history of Article 9. What does the rest of Asia think? Ken compares to how people in Eastern France might feel upon seeing Germany rearm. The US, who pushed for Article 9, wants to see Japan take a more active international role. The US would like to see Japan’s voice in political affairs have a weight comparable to its economic strength. Ken and Garrett talk about who wants to see Japan get a seat on the UN Security Council and who doesn’t. The LDP has not done a good job of keeping good relations with its neighbors in recent years.

Abe said, “I hope to create a beautiful Japan, which is respected by the world and which children can be proud of.” Ken and Garrett talk about what a “Beautiful Japan” might be. They conclude that it is certainly not an environmental thing as Abe’s record as part of the LDP is full of action in the opposite direction. Japan is 74% forested, but Tokyo has a shockingly low ratio of concrete to park space. A “Beautiful Japan” might be a nationalistic thing: lawmakers have proposed grading schoolchildren on patriotism, which would be a step in the direction Tokyo went in when it required teachers to sing the national anthem.

Ken asks what our listeners would do to make Japan beautiful, Seijigiri wants to hear from you.

Japan might raise the sales tax to as much as 10% to make up for its huge deficits.

US Beef had no PR strategy and the US didn’t do well in its handling of the BSE issue. US Pork did very well, though.

The end.

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