Comments on: Seijigiri #54: Fallout fom the Nakagawa Incident, and Koizumi Ramps up the Pressure http://www.transpacificradio.com/2009/02/20/seijigiri-54-fallout-fom-the-nakagawa-incident-and-koizumi-ramps-up-the-pressure/ 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. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 06:08:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: Ken Worsley http://www.transpacificradio.com/2009/02/20/seijigiri-54-fallout-fom-the-nakagawa-incident-and-koizumi-ramps-up-the-pressure/#comment-1704538 Thu, 26 Feb 2009 08:49:38 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2009/02/20/seijigiri-54-fallout-fom-the-nakagawa-incident-and-koizumi-ramps-up-the-pressure/#comment-1704538 Chris: Yosano's name is popping up here and there. The Nikkei recently reported this: <blockquote>Kaoru Yosano, currently juggling three roles as minister of finance, financial services and economic & fiscal policy, has advanced to second place in the latest Nikkei poll on suitability to become the next prime minister. Yosano jumped from 2% in the previous poll to 9%, seemingly boosted by taking on the finance and financial services responsibilities after Shoichi Nakagawa was forced to resign in disgrace.</blockquote> Chris: Yosano’s name is popping up here and there. The Nikkei recently reported this:

Kaoru Yosano, currently juggling three roles as minister of finance, financial services and economic & fiscal policy, has advanced to second place in the latest Nikkei poll on suitability to become the next prime minister.

Yosano jumped from 2% in the previous poll to 9%, seemingly boosted by taking on the finance and financial services responsibilities after Shoichi Nakagawa was forced to resign in disgrace.

]]> by: Andrew Eickhoff http://www.transpacificradio.com/2009/02/20/seijigiri-54-fallout-fom-the-nakagawa-incident-and-koizumi-ramps-up-the-pressure/#comment-1701460 Wed, 25 Feb 2009 11:47:20 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2009/02/20/seijigiri-54-fallout-fom-the-nakagawa-incident-and-koizumi-ramps-up-the-pressure/#comment-1701460 hey Garrett. Koizumi said he would destroy the LDP. Is this not of the end? if Aso gets the boot, who would take the helm? I can't even imagine. It will have to be another moribund old dude. Six months more of decline. It would be suicide for any of the young turks. btw can you put all of the tpr feeds on ipod? it would be nice! always enjoy the show! please get some sponsors and expand. hey Garrett.

Koizumi said he would destroy the LDP. Is this not of the end? if Aso gets the boot, who would take the helm? I can’t even imagine. It will have to be another moribund old dude. Six months more of decline. It would be suicide for any of the young turks.

btw can you put all of the tpr feeds on ipod? it would be nice!

always enjoy the show! please get some sponsors and expand.

]]> by: Garrett DeOrio http://www.transpacificradio.com/2009/02/20/seijigiri-54-fallout-fom-the-nakagawa-incident-and-koizumi-ramps-up-the-pressure/#comment-1701212 Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:20:20 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2009/02/20/seijigiri-54-fallout-fom-the-nakagawa-incident-and-koizumi-ramps-up-the-pressure/#comment-1701212 C.P., if the world doesn't end soon, look for Yosano to be a P.M. candidate again, esp. in the unlikely event that Aso is pushed aside before the election itself. C.P., if the world doesn’t end soon, look for Yosano to be a P.M. candidate again, esp. in the unlikely event that Aso is pushed aside before the election itself.

]]> by: Garrett DeOrio http://www.transpacificradio.com/2009/02/20/seijigiri-54-fallout-fom-the-nakagawa-incident-and-koizumi-ramps-up-the-pressure/#comment-1701206 Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:18:34 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2009/02/20/seijigiri-54-fallout-fom-the-nakagawa-incident-and-koizumi-ramps-up-the-pressure/#comment-1701206 K.W., I was thinking the volume of exports, as relative prices go down. Don't try to cloud the issue of Nakagawa's genius. K.W., I was thinking the volume of exports, as relative prices go down. Don’t try to cloud the issue of Nakagawa’s genius.

]]> by: Garrett DeOrio http://www.transpacificradio.com/2009/02/20/seijigiri-54-fallout-fom-the-nakagawa-incident-and-koizumi-ramps-up-the-pressure/#comment-1701205 Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:17:04 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2009/02/20/seijigiri-54-fallout-fom-the-nakagawa-incident-and-koizumi-ramps-up-the-pressure/#comment-1701205 Baltimoron, high-ranking US officials have met with Ozawa before, so I'd call it bet-hedging on the part of the US. I think Aso's invitation to be the first foreign leader at the White House has nothing to do with the man himself. It's a gesture that calms any possible fears of the US turning too much attention toward China while also giving the new President an easy one for his first visit from a foreign leader - there won't be any real controversy, there are no thorny issues to decide, etc., so nothing can go wrong and Obama and Aso both get to look good. I would guess that, at some level, this visit has been in the works for a while, so it was going to happen no matter what happened to Aso. It is far easier for the US to go ahead and have the man over than to cancel the visit or postpone it until the see if his approval numbers set a new record low or not. Any change in plans or holding off on inviting the Japanese PM to Washington could very well look like the US was taking sides in Japanese politics or at least withholding support from the current government. Baltimoron, high-ranking US officials have met with Ozawa before, so I’d call it bet-hedging on the part of the US. I think Aso’s invitation to be the first foreign leader at the White House has nothing to do with the man himself. It’s a gesture that calms any possible fears of the US turning too much attention toward China while also giving the new President an easy one for his first visit from a foreign leader - there won’t be any real controversy, there are no thorny issues to decide, etc., so nothing can go wrong and Obama and Aso both get to look good. I would guess that, at some level, this visit has been in the works for a while, so it was going to happen no matter what happened to Aso. It is far easier for the US to go ahead and have the man over than to cancel the visit or postpone it until the see if his approval numbers set a new record low or not. Any change in plans or holding off on inviting the Japanese PM to Washington could very well look like the US was taking sides in Japanese politics or at least withholding support from the current government.

]]> by: Christopher Pellegrini http://www.transpacificradio.com/2009/02/20/seijigiri-54-fallout-fom-the-nakagawa-incident-and-koizumi-ramps-up-the-pressure/#comment-1699275 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 13:23:26 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2009/02/20/seijigiri-54-fallout-fom-the-nakagawa-incident-and-koizumi-ramps-up-the-pressure/#comment-1699275 Who's the real PM here? Yosano is carting around far more responsibility (and authority?) than Aso at the moment. Who’s the real PM here?

Yosano is carting around far more responsibility (and authority?) than Aso at the moment.

]]> by: Laft Flank | Left Flank http://www.transpacificradio.com/2009/02/20/seijigiri-54-fallout-fom-the-nakagawa-incident-and-koizumi-ramps-up-the-pressure/#comment-1690308 Sat, 21 Feb 2009 02:23:05 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2009/02/20/seijigiri-54-fallout-fom-the-nakagawa-incident-and-koizumi-ramps-up-the-pressure/#comment-1690308 [...] Seijigiri #54 is a satirical tour de force lampooning former Japanese finance minister Shoichi Nakagawa&#8217;s -alcohol sodden plummet, with all the domestic political reverberations. This week&#8217;s podcast comes with video available at the post. I&#8217;m including one in the spirit of the escapade. [...] […] Seijigiri #54 is a satirical tour de force lampooning former Japanese finance minister Shoichi Nakagawa’s -alcohol sodden plummet, with all the domestic political reverberations. This week’s podcast comes with video available at the post. I’m including one in the spirit of the escapade. […]

]]> by: Baltimoron http://www.transpacificradio.com/2009/02/20/seijigiri-54-fallout-fom-the-nakagawa-incident-and-koizumi-ramps-up-the-pressure/#comment-1690260 Sat, 21 Feb 2009 02:12:07 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2009/02/20/seijigiri-54-fallout-fom-the-nakagawa-incident-and-koizumi-ramps-up-the-pressure/#comment-1690260 Taro Aso getting canned while he's shaking hands in the WH would be satire indeed. But, what do you make of Secretary Clinton visiting Ozawa? It seems moronically oblivious for the US to invite Aso to the WH given his ratings. But, in meeting Ozawa, is the US hedging its bets? Or, do you think Clinton was just trying to prop up Aso without the US losing any points? Taro Aso getting canned while he’s shaking hands in the WH would be satire indeed. But, what do you make of Secretary Clinton visiting Ozawa? It seems moronically oblivious for the US to invite Aso to the WH given his ratings. But, in meeting Ozawa, is the US hedging its bets? Or, do you think Clinton was just trying to prop up Aso without the US losing any points?

]]> by: Ken Worsley http://www.transpacificradio.com/2009/02/20/seijigiri-54-fallout-fom-the-nakagawa-incident-and-koizumi-ramps-up-the-pressure/#comment-1689318 Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:25:35 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2009/02/20/seijigiri-54-fallout-fom-the-nakagawa-incident-and-koizumi-ramps-up-the-pressure/#comment-1689318 <em>The yen gets weaker, exports pick up, and the recession is mitigated.</em> Exchange-weighted revenue from exports or the volume of exports? Two different things. The former is an illusion. The yen gets weaker, exports pick up, and the recession is mitigated.

Exchange-weighted revenue from exports or the volume of exports? Two different things. The former is an illusion.

]]> by: Garrett DeOrio http://www.transpacificradio.com/2009/02/20/seijigiri-54-fallout-fom-the-nakagawa-incident-and-koizumi-ramps-up-the-pressure/#comment-1689309 Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:20:32 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2009/02/20/seijigiri-54-fallout-fom-the-nakagawa-incident-and-koizumi-ramps-up-the-pressure/#comment-1689309 OK, I had it completely wrong. Nakagawa is not a drunken fool, he's a drunken genius. He gets tanked at a G7 meeting and causes investors to lose confidence in Japan, thus weakening the yen, which has been happening all week. The yen gets weaker, exports pick up, and the recession is mitigated. Shoichi did <em>ganbare</em> - he took one for the team. OK, I had it completely wrong. Nakagawa is not a drunken fool, he’s a drunken genius. He gets tanked at a G7 meeting and causes investors to lose confidence in Japan, thus weakening the yen, which has been happening all week. The yen gets weaker, exports pick up, and the recession is mitigated.

Shoichi did ganbare - he took one for the team.

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