Seijigiri #49: Aso on Policy, Ozawa’s Response, TV in the Diet and Depictions of Aso in the Foreign Media
This 49th edition of Seijigiri was recorded last Friday night for an intended Sunday release, but production fell about a day behind, so here it is, late on Monday.
In this show, co-hosts Garrett DeOrio and Ken Worsley begin by taking a look at the factors that have led to any possible lower house election being put off for at least the time being. Mr Aso’s first policy speech as Prime Minister is examined, as is the reply of the opposition leader, DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa. At the time his policy speech was made, it seemed more as though Aso was giving a campaign speech.
Ozawa’s plan for economic recovery is then examined, and whether or not his plans are affordable is discussed.
After that, the discussion turns to the non-issue of Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa and Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Kaoru Yosano catching some heat for watching television during a recent diet session.
The last part of the show beings with Ken’s rant on the foreign media’s depiction of Prime Minister Aso, which has been discussed in several blogs recently. Why is Aso being called “hawkish” or a “nationalist”?
Related Posts:
- Seijigiri #32: Foreign Policy and the US-Japan Relationship in the Age of Fukuda (with Tobias Harris)
- Seijigiri #46: Diet Session Ends, Fukuda’s Future, and the Future of Immigration
- Seijigiri #41: The Budget is Passed, and Fukuda is Feeling the Pressure
- Seijigiri #24: Abe’s approval ratings bounce back, what’s being done in the Diet, and the foreign trainee program
- Seijigiri #23: Abe, Aso and Kyuma to the US, and the state of constitutional reform in Japan
