Comments on: Abe’s Resignation, Aso, Fukuda, and the race to be PM, the Death Throes of Nova, and Wii: TPR News for Saturday, September 15, 2007 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/15/abes-resignation-aso-fukuda-and-the-race-to-be-pm-the-death-throes-of-nova-and-wii-tpr-news-for-saturday-september-15-2007/ Independent Podcasting from Tokyo. Featuring Seijigiri, a discussion of Japanese news and politics, as well as TPR News, our twice a week look at Japan's top stories. Fri, 08 Aug 2008 19:13:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: DeOrio http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/15/abes-resignation-aso-fukuda-and-the-race-to-be-pm-the-death-throes-of-nova-and-wii-tpr-news-for-saturday-september-15-2007/#comment-365310 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 07:23:55 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/15/abes-resignation-aso-fukuda-and-the-race-to-be-pm-the-death-throes-of-nova-and-wii-tpr-news-for-saturday-september-15-2007/#comment-365310 You're absolutely right. We apologize for the error. You’re absolutely right. We apologize for the error.

]]> by: Fried Toast http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/15/abes-resignation-aso-fukuda-and-the-race-to-be-pm-the-death-throes-of-nova-and-wii-tpr-news-for-saturday-september-15-2007/#comment-365297 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 07:13:58 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/15/abes-resignation-aso-fukuda-and-the-race-to-be-pm-the-death-throes-of-nova-and-wii-tpr-news-for-saturday-september-15-2007/#comment-365297 UPS <strike>United Postal Service</strike> United PARCEL Service Close, but no banana ;) UPS
United Postal Service

United PARCEL Service

Close, but no banana ;)

]]> by: Left Flank http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/15/abes-resignation-aso-fukuda-and-the-race-to-be-pm-the-death-throes-of-nova-and-wii-tpr-news-for-saturday-september-15-2007/#comment-332133 Sun, 16 Sep 2007 11:19:55 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/15/abes-resignation-aso-fukuda-and-the-race-to-be-pm-the-death-throes-of-nova-and-wii-tpr-news-for-saturday-september-15-2007/#comment-332133 <strong>Japan&#8217;s Next PM...</strong> Taro Aso and Yasuo Fukuda are vying to be Japan&#8217;s next prime minister in a very imperfect party system where there is popular discontent. Popularity: unranked [?]...... Japan’s Next PM…

Taro Aso and Yasuo Fukuda are vying to be Japan’s next prime minister in a very imperfect party system where there is popular discontent.
Popularity: unranked [?]……

]]> by: Garrett http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/15/abes-resignation-aso-fukuda-and-the-race-to-be-pm-the-death-throes-of-nova-and-wii-tpr-news-for-saturday-september-15-2007/#comment-331765 Sun, 16 Sep 2007 08:17:12 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/15/abes-resignation-aso-fukuda-and-the-race-to-be-pm-the-death-throes-of-nova-and-wii-tpr-news-for-saturday-september-15-2007/#comment-331765 Yeah, I agree now. I'd overlooked one very important thing, possibly the most important thing, and apparently the thing that led to Fukuda gaining factional support - with the DPJ able to slow things down, the most important consideration has to be who will be able to work with the DPJ and win them over to his causes. That person is never going to be Aso. I retract my predicition, which actually makes me glad. I think Fukuda will be a much better PM than Aso could be. Yeah, I agree now. I’d overlooked one very important thing, possibly the most important thing, and apparently the thing that led to Fukuda gaining factional support - with the DPJ able to slow things down, the most important consideration has to be who will be able to work with the DPJ and win them over to his causes. That person is never going to be Aso.

I retract my predicition, which actually makes me glad. I think Fukuda will be a much better PM than Aso could be.

]]> by: Ken Worsley http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/15/abes-resignation-aso-fukuda-and-the-race-to-be-pm-the-death-throes-of-nova-and-wii-tpr-news-for-saturday-september-15-2007/#comment-331396 Sat, 15 Sep 2007 15:58:02 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/15/abes-resignation-aso-fukuda-and-the-race-to-be-pm-the-death-throes-of-nova-and-wii-tpr-news-for-saturday-september-15-2007/#comment-331396 <em>I just think that an Aso premiership would be of more use to the LDP and that they’ll see that</em> Everyone powerful in the LDP is saying the opposite, that Aso's too abrasive to win back popular support. That's why the Mori/Machimura faction seems as though it's going to back Fukuda. I don't think Tanigaki is likely either, but Aso had already faded away from possibly winning this by Saturday in Japan. I just think that an Aso premiership would be of more use to the LDP and that they’ll see that

Everyone powerful in the LDP is saying the opposite, that Aso’s too abrasive to win back popular support. That’s why the Mori/Machimura faction seems as though it’s going to back Fukuda.

I don’t think Tanigaki is likely either, but Aso had already faded away from possibly winning this by Saturday in Japan.

]]> by: DeOrio http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/15/abes-resignation-aso-fukuda-and-the-race-to-be-pm-the-death-throes-of-nova-and-wii-tpr-news-for-saturday-september-15-2007/#comment-331353 Sat, 15 Sep 2007 15:09:25 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/15/abes-resignation-aso-fukuda-and-the-race-to-be-pm-the-death-throes-of-nova-and-wii-tpr-news-for-saturday-september-15-2007/#comment-331353 Thanks, Tobias - I wasn't quite sure - thought it might be. Priceless line, either way. (It worries that I'm either gullible enough to believe that or that such a thing is not impossible. Probably some combination of both.) Baltimoron, I don't think TPR has any special information (that's more likely to come from Mr. Harris, above) - I just think that an Aso premiership would be of more use to the LDP and that they'll see that. Fukuda seems to be a much better guy all around, but the LDP needs a hard ass more than a consensus builder at this point. I'd love to be absolutely wrong about that, though. Ken, I think it's really unlikely we'll Tanigaki become a more serious contender, although, of the three who ran last year, he was the only one who seemed to have given any thought to what he'd actually do as PM. It's obvious that even after months in the job, it didn't occur to Abe that there was anything in particular he ought to do. A PM Aso might actually pass out tote bags, but he doesn't seem to have any great plans, either. Thanks, Tobias - I wasn’t quite sure - thought it might be. Priceless line, either way. (It worries that I’m either gullible enough to believe that or that such a thing is not impossible. Probably some combination of both.)

Baltimoron, I don’t think TPR has any special information (that’s more likely to come from Mr. Harris, above) - I just think that an Aso premiership would be of more use to the LDP and that they’ll see that. Fukuda seems to be a much better guy all around, but the LDP needs a hard ass more than a consensus builder at this point. I’d love to be absolutely wrong about that, though.

Ken, I think it’s really unlikely we’ll Tanigaki become a more serious contender, although, of the three who ran last year, he was the only one who seemed to have given any thought to what he’d actually do as PM. It’s obvious that even after months in the job, it didn’t occur to Abe that there was anything in particular he ought to do.

A PM Aso might actually pass out tote bags, but he doesn’t seem to have any great plans, either.

]]> by: Baltimoron http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/15/abes-resignation-aso-fukuda-and-the-race-to-be-pm-the-death-throes-of-nova-and-wii-tpr-news-for-saturday-september-15-2007/#comment-330671 Sat, 15 Sep 2007 06:31:36 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/15/abes-resignation-aso-fukuda-and-the-race-to-be-pm-the-death-throes-of-nova-and-wii-tpr-news-for-saturday-september-15-2007/#comment-330671 Yeah, but The Economist was right about Shinzo Abe! Yeah, but The Economist was right about Shinzo Abe!

]]> by: Ken Worsley http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/15/abes-resignation-aso-fukuda-and-the-race-to-be-pm-the-death-throes-of-nova-and-wii-tpr-news-for-saturday-september-15-2007/#comment-330637 Sat, 15 Sep 2007 06:09:25 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/15/abes-resignation-aso-fukuda-and-the-race-to-be-pm-the-death-throes-of-nova-and-wii-tpr-news-for-saturday-september-15-2007/#comment-330637 Fukuda certainly represents the 'kinder, gentler' side that the LDP is starting to realize might help it right now - Aso, on the other hand, would probably grind up old people for food and justify it by saying that they were't part of his elite, rich social circle. I remember when Abe was elected by the LDP and the Economist publihed a piece on how Fukuda's career was over and that his potential to be PM would go unfulfilled. I'd lik to see them proven wrong, unless Tankigaki becomes a serious contender. Fukuda certainly represents the ‘kinder, gentler’ side that the LDP is starting to realize might help it right now - Aso, on the other hand, would probably grind up old people for food and justify it by saying that they were’t part of his elite, rich social circle.

I remember when Abe was elected by the LDP and the Economist publihed a piece on how Fukuda’s career was over and that his potential to be PM would go unfulfilled. I’d lik to see them proven wrong, unless Tankigaki becomes a serious contender.

]]> by: Baltimoron http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/15/abes-resignation-aso-fukuda-and-the-race-to-be-pm-the-death-throes-of-nova-and-wii-tpr-news-for-saturday-september-15-2007/#comment-330293 Sat, 15 Sep 2007 02:41:16 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/15/abes-resignation-aso-fukuda-and-the-race-to-be-pm-the-death-throes-of-nova-and-wii-tpr-news-for-saturday-september-15-2007/#comment-330293 Foreign newspapers and both the Asahi and Yomiuri are quickly noticing Fukuda's strong factional support. Does TPR know something about Aso and his supporters they don't? There seems to be two levels in this contest. On one hand, there's voters vs LDP factions vs. DPJ. And then, there's the legacy and aftermath of Koizumi's reforms and foreign policy. There doesn't seem to be a straight matchup either. There's no clean sweep of popular support with a popular mandate on any issue. Can you elaborate more on the issues part and how the horse race helps or hinders any particular platform. Foreign newspapers and both the Asahi and Yomiuri are quickly noticing Fukuda’s strong factional support. Does TPR know something about Aso and his supporters they don’t?

There seems to be two levels in this contest. On one hand, there’s voters vs LDP factions vs. DPJ. And then, there’s the legacy and aftermath of Koizumi’s reforms and foreign policy. There doesn’t seem to be a straight matchup either. There’s no clean sweep of popular support with a popular mandate on any issue.

Can you elaborate more on the issues part and how the horse race helps or hinders any particular platform.

]]> by: Tobias Harris http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/15/abes-resignation-aso-fukuda-and-the-race-to-be-pm-the-death-throes-of-nova-and-wii-tpr-news-for-saturday-september-15-2007/#comment-330113 Sat, 15 Sep 2007 00:35:47 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/15/abes-resignation-aso-fukuda-and-the-race-to-be-pm-the-death-throes-of-nova-and-wii-tpr-news-for-saturday-september-15-2007/#comment-330113 Just so it's clear, the "tote bag" line was my attempt at a joke. Just so it’s clear, the “tote bag” line was my attempt at a joke.

]]>