Losing Momentum

The ministers meeting on Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact in Singapore ended up with no agreement, except maintaining negotiation itself, leaving deep skepticism on final achievement. Overall recognition of Japanese delegation was the United States had been too rigorous to make a deal. In the situation that Japan realized U.S. firm criticism on Prime Minister Abe’s visit to Yasukuni Shrine, Japanese leaders emphasized U.S. unilateralism and contemplated Japan as a victim. Does Japan really want to make a deal, anyway?

News reports picked up how the bilateral meeting between Japan and U.S., made between Minister in charge of Economic Revitalization, Akira Amari, and U.S. Trade Representative, Michael Froman, was in sober environment.

According to Asahi Shimbun, Froman did not make any compromise in tariff negotiation, while Amari offered possibility of lowering or eliminating tariff on the five important agricultural products, including rice, wheat, sugar, beef and pork, dairy products. “I should not visit Washington, D.C.,” Amari regretted his preliminary meeting with Froman a week before. Mainichi depicted Amari as exhausted to the extent of being unable to eat all meals for dinner. Yomiuri closed up that they did not shake hands.

U.S. tried to contain Japan with successful deals with Southeast Asian countries. But, it could not reach a conclusion mainly on property right and governmental procurement. From home country, Froman had received strong message of some senators that required no conclusion without complete elimination of tariff on agricultural products in Japan. Automobile workers insistently opposed TPP. Obama administration might actually have no card to offer.

There is a speculation in Japan that TPP is tracing a destiny of Doha Round of World Trade Organization, which was deadlocked with sharp opposition between developed and developing countries over tariff. If TPP is falling on accumulation of partial agreements, whole structure will be broken down.

Actually, Amari was praised in the discussion in the Diet by an opposite lawmaker, who said that Amari had protected Japan’s national interest by breaking the negotiation up. Because leading Liberal Democrats promised voters not to make a deal against Japan’s national interest, the momentum for final agreement is not extremely strong, even if TPP is a key to success for Abe’s growth strategy. No one still calls the Pacific trade pact “Japan’s opening in Heisei.”

Nuclear Addiction

The reason why it is hard to stop smoking is consistent seduction coming up every day and night. Smokers at bar would not care about a person who quitted smoking standing alongside. He would even see himself smoking in his dream. After all, achievement depends on how his determination is firm. A weak man may resume smoking, despite of diagnosis of lung cancer.

The draft of the new Basic Energy Plan by the government indicated how the bureaucrats were addicted to nuclear energy. It defined nuclear energy to be “important base load resource,” making ordinary people confused with technical term. However, it showed a retreat from a goal of independence from nuclear energy, without addressing a problem of nuclear waste going nowhere. It is scheduled that the plan will be authorized by Cabinet decision late March, after discussion in leading parties, Liberal Democratic and New Komeito.

In spite of LDP’s campaign promise in 2012, which was to get rid of the dependence on nuclear energy, the draft described that the government would reduce it “as much as possible.” This Kasumigaseki literature, phrases manipulated by bureaucrats, is translated as giving up the elimination of nuclear energy, which had been a basic policy during the administration led by Democratic Party of Japan. Resumption of currently halted nuclear reactors would accordingly be promoted with positive governmental efforts for “obtaining understandings and cooperation from local governments.”

The plan intensively ignored the ongoing negative impacts of nuclear generation, which stemmed from the accident in Fukushima on March 2011. It did not estimate the cost of the accident in First Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, which caused vast evacuation of residents still as much as one hundred thirty-five thousands. Instead, it was significantly optimistic in future achievement of nuclear recycle plan, which has no feasibility so far. “With reflection and verification on past measures, and with thorough review, the government will get a conclusion of studies for Monju,” said the draft. Monju is the name of a fast breeder reactor, which has reiterated malfunctions and accidents and yet working.

The government still embraces the empty hope of Monju. If bureaucrats really believe in nuclear fuel recycle, it is just dreaming. If not, they are simply taking advantage of a slight possibility to deceive the nation for maintaining their position in the society and benefits coming from the nuclear community. As long as leaders do not realize the addictive effect of nuclear energy, Japan will not retain health of society.

Well, Bureaucrats Are Smart

After showing its incompetence in reconstruction for three years, the Government of Japan seems to began to abandon sufferers of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the accident in First Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant. Putting aside, or mostly ignoring, oppositions from residents, the government on Sunday decided a policy of lifting evacuation order in Miyakoji district of Tamura City, Fukushima, starting April 1^st. In the meeting with the residents, officials of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry unilaterally declared the policy, after hours long discussion. According to Mainichi Shimbun, one bureaucrat boasted “Well, bureaucrats are smart.”

The meeting was held between fourteen officials from national government or City of Tamura and a hundred residents in Miyakoji district, located within 20 kilometers from the First Fukushima. Although most residents were willing to go home in the district, they were all skeptical about the situation of their hometown, worried about the impact on health caused by high radiation there.

At the beginning of the meeting, residents requested the government thorough decontamination efforts not only around their houses but also forests covering the district. When an hour and half past, taking advantage of some residents’ opinion that suggested reliance on the government, one official with the Operation Office for Nuclear Disaster abruptly started talking about when the evacuation should be lifted. He explained that evacuation order had been an exceptional policy, which disturbed the right of residence in the Article XXII of the Constitution of Japan. The decision for April 1^st was not an agreement but an order as a matter of fact.

Democracy for bureaucrats is not understanding what people say, but spending time for pretending to be listening to people’s voice. In Miyakoji, the time democracy survived was one and a half hour. After exercising quasi-democracy, there comes despotism. No opinion against them would be heard. The message to the residents of Miyakoji was “Ok, we will lift the order. You can get back home. No additional decontamination or fiscal compensation will be done. The district is safe, though we don’t know it’s true. It’s the matter of scientists, not ours. It’s up to you whether you return home. It’s not our decision. That’s it.”

That is how the government disregards its people. They fabricate public opinions that justify ignoring areal radiation, deny the impact of radioactive materials on human body, mainly thyroid disease, and indicate people’s agreement on returning back home. They are too busy in dealing with trivial matters to see the world.

If you see some people whispering and smirking each other on a corner of reception room in an international conference, wearing shabby business suit and colorless tie, speaking no English, and dispersing no sexual appeal, they are Japanese bureaucrats. They are not smart, but infamy of Japan.

What’s Growth Target?

“Yes, we can” was after all the message the world’s twenty major economies delivered from Sydney, Australia.

Financial ministers and central bankers of Group 20, which consists of 85% of world economy, agreed on upholding a target to lift their collective gross domestic products by more than 2% above current policy’s expectation over the coming 5 years. Because it was unusual for G20 to have a numeric target, the chairman of the conference, Joe Hockey, Australian Treasurer, looked exciting as if he was standing on a historical moment. Nikkei Newspaper emphasized Hockey’s excitement citing his words, “This is the first attempt.”

According to Nikkei, Australia led the introduction of numerical target, negotiating with the United States from the last yearend. To urge fiscal stimulus of Germany, U.S. supported the idea of Australia to have numerical target in final communiqué. By cooperating Australia’s leadership, U.S. won a soft description on its monetary policy. “This eventual development would be positive,” said communiqué about U.S. monetary policy, “for the global economy and reduced reliance on easy monetary policy would be beneficial in the medium term for financial policy.”

On instability of emerging economies, U.S. escaped an apparent defeat. While the meeting reconfirmed the necessity of taking care of the impact U.S. tapering policy would have on emerging countries, the communiqué stressed that “our primary response is to further strengthen and refine our domestic macroeconomic, structural and financial policy frameworks.” Nikkei quoted the phrase as a requirement to the emerging economies for tackling high-level inflation and current-account deficit.

Germany was frustrated. German Minister of Finance, Wolfgang Schäuble, made a negative comment on newly introduced target. “Economic growth is a result coming through complicated process. Politicians cannot guarantee that result,” he told in his press conference. Chinese Finance Minister, Lou Jiwei, told Chinese media that “If we are to raise growth target by 2%, it becomes 9-10% (in China). But, do not expect that.” It seems to be unlikely for Germany and China to be positive in fiscal stimulus.

Japan is neither winner nor loser, just following Australia-U.S. coalition. “We are having fundamental measures in deregulation,” told the Chairman of Bank of Japan, Haruhiko Kuroda. However, Japan’s growth policy is revealing its weakness with deterioration of competitiveness in world market. It is predicted that growth rate in FY 2014 will slow down with the impact of higher consumption tax rate this April. Japan is too busy in domestic policy to contribute to the overall management of world economy.

Takeshima Day Again

February 22^nd is quote Takeshima Day unquote. In 2005, the Assembly of Shimane Prefecture passed an ordinance to name the day, celebrating the centennial of the announcement for Takeshima’s incorporation by the governor in 1905. This year, Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, sent a relatively low-level official to the memorial ceremony held by the prefectural government on Saturday. Although South Korea protested the day, there was no major trouble there. Abe’s intimidation to neighbor countries still seems to be built-in destabilizer in Northeast Asia.

The Parliamentary Vice-minister of Cabinet Office, Toshitami Kameoka, dispatched by Abe, emphasized the need for solution of Takeshima dispute. “We are doing our best to calmly and peacefully solve Takeshima issue according to laws,” told Kameoka in the memorial ceremony. Although the prefectural government invited Abe and other ministers, the administration decided to send a lower-level official as it did last year.

Outside the building for the ceremony, right-wing agitators, well-known as noisy appeals from campaign cars, faced Korean activists, having police corps between them. Police deterred some activists who tried to open a banner of Korean flag and let them escape from the site.

While the Government of Japan has not changed its recognition that Takeshima is illegally-occupied Japan’s inherent territory, South Korea keeps its administration on the island and even enhancing it. The Congress of South Korea passed the budget for 2014, which included the plan to build “Entrance Supporting Center” for Korean tourists to Takeshima. Japan has not taken an effective counteraction against it.

It could be a sign from Abe of not escalating current quarrels on interpretation of history between two nations. However, the sign works only when it is received as it is. There is no such environment as the Koreans can realize Abe’s soft attitude on history, as long as he reiterates his frustration against Japan’s reflective standpoint on aggression to the continent or comfort women. For the Koreans, sending governmental official is already too excessive.

Irritation continues. Abe administration announced that it would review the testimony of former comfort women, which caused Kono Statement that apologized to the Koreans, to search for possibility of repealing the statement. Some officials of Japanese government is looking for an opportunity to have a leaders talk between Abe and Park Geun-hye at the Nuclear Summit held in Netherland in March. But, it is not clear that the domestic situations of both would allow it.

Avoiding Open Discussion

Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, is accelerating his effort to reinterpret the Article IX of the Constitution of Japan, which renounces war as a way to settle international conflicts. He revealed his intention to skip discussion in the National Diet before the Cabinet decision would be made.

As long as the reinterpretation is paving a way to allow Japanese government using military power for protecting other countries, it is likely that the decision will be regarded as unconstitutional. However, Abe is put the priority on security needs rather than constitution. The dispute over the reinterpretation is getting into the same situation as the United States one and a half century ago, when humanitarian ideal and property rights sharply opposed each other. Anyway, is it appropriate for Japan to spend time for domestic confusion when the dynamism of power structure in Northeast Asia is drastically changing?

Abe has been dodging questions about the reinterpretation, saying that “It is discussed in an advisory conference on security legislature.” Frustrated with this apathetic attitude toward the legislative branch, former leader of Democratic Party of Japan, Katsuya Okada, strongly criticized Abe of his arbitrariness in making great change of national security policy. Against the request of Okada to discuss the reinterpretation before the Cabinet will decide it, Abe answered that the discussion would be done when the related legislature will be submitted to the Diet after the Cabinet decision.

In terms of the constitutionality of the reinterpretation, Abe has no clear answer. He has only been emphasizing security needs of Japan. “What if a missile is launched from North Korea?” “What if a U.S. vessel close to a Japan vessel is attacked?” While intimidating the public with a lot of “what ifs,” Abe has never told whether the reinterpretation is constitutional or not. Avoiding open discussion about constitution, Abe is trying to get through this issue only with security discussion. It is fair to say that this attitude of the prime minister is unconstitutional.

The United States has a bitter experience that a sharp dispute over interpretation of the constitution on slavery escalated to an all-out civil war. After the war, the constitution was amended to reject slavery, costing over six hundred thousand lives. Although it is unlikely for the Japanese to have all-out civil war now, this fundamental change of one of the important pillar of the constitution will lead to a long and consistent dispute in Japan. It is wiser to deal with actual security needs by keeping traditional interpretation of the constitution, which allows the government of Japan to exercise individual self-defense right in broader sense.

Disease Reappeared

Olympic madness of the Japanese reached a peak on Thursday. In ladies figure skating, Mao Asada showed her best performance in free skating, though she finally stayed in the sixth position due to her unusual failure in short program the day before. Ignoring their responsibility of excessive expectation of the people on her, media reported her failure as a tragedy and praised her determination in recovering for recovery. Politics, always exploiting sports events, did not conceal its disappointment on her poor performance, receiving huge booing from net freaks.

Former Prime Minister, Yoshiro Mori, being appointed to the Head of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Organizing Committee, harshly criticized Asada. “Although I was watching her with expectation of good performance, she beautifully fell down. That girl always falls down in critical moment, I don’t know why,” told Mori. Looking frustrated with the fifth position of team figure skating in the early stage of Sochi Olympic, Mori also revealed his sarcastic analysis. “She should have not showed up in the team competition,” said Mori,” She beautifully fell down, though Japan team expected the third position, if Asada would be successful in triple axel.”

Mori is well known as a man of foot-in-mouth disease. When he was in his premiership, he called Japan the State of God. Just before an Upper House election, he told that he wanted the independents to keep on “sleeping” not to raise voters’ turnout. After being criticized on his irrelevance in making appropriate speech, his destiny as prime minister tapered off with steep decline in his popularity. His stupidity was described as “a man with shark brain.” Learning no lesson from the past, he received nation-wide accusations again.

People’s response on Asada’s failure was overwhelmingly warm and encouraging. But it was them that had constantly been pressuring her by expecting gold medal. Asahi Shimbun introduced Asada in the morning edition on Thursday that “She dedicates her performance in short program to her late mother, going toward a gold medal she dreamed with her mom.” Because the news deadline was before her performance, the article was written in future tense. When the issue arrived to the readers, Asada was suffering from a terrible result.

TVs were sympathetic to her, repeating footage of her successful performance in free skating. Watchers wept, praised and chanted in front of TV screen. Interviewees in the reports thanked her of giving them courage, dream and excitement. Satisfied with media-made moving story, people get back to their ordinary jobs.

Exchange of Disappointments

Principle of reciprocity is a basis of international relations. How about counteraction against a criticism?

Seiichi Eto, an Adviser for Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, was grilled by media after he updated his comment in YouTube, which criticized the United States government’s comment of “disappointment” over Abe’s visit to Yasukuni Shrine. “We rather disappointed with them,” said Eto. Behind that, there is a serious irrelevance among some Japanese politicians who believe the alliance is absolute and forever.

Eto’s words looked something like quarrel of kids. Revealing that he visited the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo before Abe’s Yasukuni visit and received an advice of “be careful” from a Minister, Eto told in the webpage that “In terms of disappointed, we were rather disappointed. Why U.S. does not realize the importance of the alliance? U.S. is getting silent against China.”

Eto is a long-time legislator close to Abe affiliated in the same fraction in Liberal Democratic Party. As an advisor in charge of “important national policy,” Eto visited Washington D.C. last November to research possible reaction of Obama administration to Abe’s Yasukuni visit. He received a message from Assistant Secretary of State, Daniel Russel, that “If the prime minister do that, it will affect to U.S.-Japan relationship.” In spite of it, Abe visited Yasukuni next month.

Although the reason was not clear, Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, instructed Eto to take the comment back and delete from the site. Eto promised to follow it. But he still argued that it was natural for him to dispute against the attitude of U.S. toward one of their most important ally. As a constant visitor to Yasukuni, Eto showed no regret about his dispute against U.S.

Such politicians do not, or never, acknowledge a historical fact that U.S. was a supporter of China to protect it from Japan’s promotion in the continent of Asia before the World War II. If Japan returns to pre-war condition, U.S. will easily get back to its former position, a supporter of China opposing Japan. No leader in Abe administration realizes this realism in international relations.

All those wrong decisions stemmed from a sense of fear. Abe is afraid of being drawn down again from leadership. That was why he took a position appeasing the conservatives which he politically relied on. His staffs are afraid of losing next election. His supporters are afraid of being marginalized by other politically moderate administration. So, cowardice covering Japan makes its diplomacy shrunk.

Abduction Tops Everything

Mostly putting aside all other crimes against humanity, which include murders, torture, slavery, sexual violence and mass starvation, Japan scolds North Korean despotic dynasty on its abduction of the Japanese. While the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights reported the oppressive situation in North Korea as a matter of zero tolerance, most media in Japan recognized it as a positive sign of new development in diplomatically deadlocked abduction issue. Japan is always unique, indeed.

The independent investigation commission led by Michael Kirby revealed extremely harsh facts in North Korea based on broad interviews to the people under the tyranny of Kim Dynasty. Representing hardships of the people, Kirby demanded the world to make immediate actions to halt those inhumanities that did not have “any parallel in the contemporary world.” Kirby recommended the world leaders to refer the situation to the International Criminal Court or a special tribunal.

Newspapers in Japan mainly focused on a part of the report, which required accountability of North’s leadership on abduction of foreign citizens. They cited a comment of Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, that “We welcome the report that recommends North Korea to return abductees and their children to home country,” or stories of diplomatic effort of Japan to persuade other nations to acknowledge the issue.

Abduction by North Korea is a favorite issue of Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe. When he was a Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary under Prime Minister, Jun-ichiro Koizumi, he took on the issue raising campaign against North Korea with the families of abductees. Receiving positive reaction from the public on his uncompromising position against the North, he got a good chance to be promoted in politics, ultimately led to prime minister. Abe still insists on the issue, asserting that he is determined to get final solution in his administration.

However, there is no sign of achieving that. There has been no effective improvement in direct negotiation with the North recent years. It is a big contradiction that Abe has intentionally been complicating the relationship with China and South Korea, which must have been crucial partners to urge the North to settle the problem.

The most embarrassing is Japan itself also is one of those recipients of accusation on human trafficking. U.S. Department of State has frequently reported that Japan had been a destination and transit country for men, women and children trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor. Without addressing the fact inside itself, Japan will keep on accepting the frustration of world community that “Well, it’s okay. Japan is always complaining only about abduction issue.”

Weak Consumption and Exports

Is it a positive sign of getting rid of deflation or eclipse of current economic policy in Japan? The Cabinet Office released gross national products in the fourth quarter in 2013, which showed 1.0% annualized growth, while it marked consecutive growth for four quarters. Good news is that capital investment rose in manufacturers and constructors. Bad news is that positive individual consumption, mainly brought by preoccupation of purchase before consumption tax hike in April, was relatively weak. There will not be a lot of chances to enjoy fruit of Abenomics rest of the year.

One of the key points was public investment, which had been leading current Japan’s growth. It showed immediate decline from 7.2% growth in previous quarter to 2.3%. The growth in individual consumption did not cover the decline of public investment. While export showed a slight rise with positive demands in emerging economy in Asia, import grew by 3.5% with the increase in liquidated natural gas, computers and smart phones.

Assessments vary. Yomiuri positively reported the individual consumption as a following wind for Japan economy. Nikkei was neutral, stressing the role of exports to lead sustainable future growth. Asahi and Mainichi were negative, raising the relative weakness of individual purchase and exports. Those trends make sense, because the legendary boss of Yomiuri takes close stance to current administration. Nikkei also support Abenomics, because it never wants the revival of DPJ administration. Asahi and Mainichi basically oppose Abe administration, mainly in handlings of diplomacy, historical disputes or energy policy.

As long as watching reports of foreign media, future of Japan economy is not positive. Both Wall Street Journal and Financial Times labeled the trend as disappointment. “Disappointing growth numbers from Japan show that a weaker yen has failed so far to rev up the nation’s export engine, putting a greater onus this year on the nation’s consumers,” contemplated WSJ. CNN was pessimistic, telling that “The poor results come just months before a sales tax increase is scheduled to take effect.”

Abe administration is closely watching whether wage will rise this spring, which may maintain positive consumption. However, decline of individual consumption is inevitable after the tax hike, and market already included it in their forecast. Another factor Japan relies on is resurge of emerging economies. It is unrealistic, however, for them to show dramatic growth in the situation of salvaging U.S. money in tapering policy of Federal Reserve. Abenomics is obviously turning a corner.

Alienated Broadcaster

Freedom of speech for the governors of the public broadcaster is eroding the citizen’s right to access information. The Embassy of United States in Tokyo rejected an interview request of Japan Broadcasting Corporation, or NHK, to Ambassador, Caroline Kennedy, as a protest against a weird speech made by a member of the Board of Governors, Naoki Hyakuta. It is highly unusual that the Embassy dismisses a request of interview from media in this kind of reasoning. While it is obvious that remarks of Hyakuta had been excessive and cannot be justified, the act of Embassy may receive criticisms from the viewpoint of democracy.

According to newspaper reports, NHK requested an interview to Ambassador Kennedy right after she arrived Japan last November. When staffs of NHK visited the Embassy earlier this month, an officer in charge of press affairs told them that the Ambassador became unable to accept the offer. The officer confirmed that it was a decision made by the Ambassador and Washington, D.C. The Embassy refused commenting on the issue.

So, what was wrong about Hyakuta? In his speech to support a candidate for the election of Tokyo Metropolitan Governor, Toshio Tamogami, Hyakuta called all other candidates “human garbage.” In addition, to the astonishment of the United States, Hyakuta called Tokyo bombardment and drop of nuclear bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki “tragic massacre,” and contemplated Tokyo War Tribunal as a trial to offset crimes of the U.S. Force. “There was no such things as Nanjing Massacre,” he also appealed.

NHK is operated with universal charge to the recipients. In this context, the Broadcast Act demands NHK to be politically neutral. Hyakuta’s denouncement on opposite candidates would be criticized as being against the provision. Needless to say, his expression was morally improper. Moreover, the Article 31 determines that Prime Minister shall appoint the members of NHK Board of Governors among who makes appropriate decision in terms of public welfare. Many specialists on media relations argue that Hyakuta’s comment exceeded the line.

As was argued, there is mostly no room for Hyakuta’s speech to be justified. However, U.S. Embassy looks to be too excited to deal with this kind of naïve assertion made by a cyber-right freak. The decision against NHK might be paralleled with behavior of Chinese government, which often oppresses journalists because of critical views against the communist regime. It must have been smarter for the Ambassador to unequivocally express her views on history in the interview of NHK.

Hydrographical Revisionism

Urged by South Korean lobbies, some state legislatures in the United States are renaming the sea between Japan and Korean Peninsula. Virginia’s House of Delegates passed a bill, following Senate, requiring all textbooks to refer to the Sea of Japan with notice of that it was also called the East Sea. The same movement appeared in State of New York and New Jersey. Although the Government of Japan is frustrated with the tendency, it could not have stronger influence than Koreans have in U.S. However, isn’t it a movement of changing status quo in history?

While benefit of renaming the sea was not clear, the Koreans and Japanese made a political battle in Virginia. According to Reuters, population of Korean-American in Virginia amounts 82,000, greatly outnumbering 19,000 of ethnic Japanese in the Commonwealth. South Korea’s Foreign Ministry paid a Senator of Virginia who sponsored the bill $7,600 to invite him to Seoul. Hundreds of Korean-Americans showed up in the capital to support the bill to pass.

The Japanese Embassy hired a consulting firm with price of $75,000 to lobby for Japan on this issue. Ambassador Ken-ichiro Sasae reportedly indicated to the Governor, Terry McAuliffe, that the enactment of the bill would be risking damage on economic tie between Japan and Virginia.

Japan lobby in U.S. has been weak, as seen in the issue of comfort women, because its efforts were exercised mainly as a job of Embassy staffs. Money-oriented diplomacy did not work well against broad movement of citizens of the Koreans and Chinese in America. Regrets or explanations of high class officials in Japan, such as Foreign Minister or Chief Cabinet Secretary, does not seem to have reached to the American continent.

Even if those state legislations were a kind of exercise of internal politics, renaming the sea may contradict to the attitude the Federal Government has been taking in its diplomacy. Basic stance of U.S. on territorial dispute, for example toward China on Senkaku issue, has been no unilateral change of status quo. The status quo in textbooks in U.S. has been that the name of the sea was “the Sea of Japan.”

U.S. government needs to realize that the renaming may render Japan a cause to dispute further over Takeshima island, on which Japanese right-wing conservatives are strongly protesting South Korea’s administration. What is it going to do, if the French-American starts arguing that the English Channel should be written as Le Manche? Wouldn’t China begin to call the Pacific Ocean the East China Ocean and the West American Ocean? Be careful on changing traditional name in geography.

Covered by White Devil

Entirely covered by heavy snow, Japan ceased working in everywhere on Friday evening and during whole Saturday. Transportation was paralyzed on the ground with various reasons. People stayed home, having few things to do such as making snowmen or watching Sochi Olympic on TV. Although one of the reasons why the big cities are vulnerable to snow is extremely dense population, no one tries to start discussion of distribution of capital functions.

The snow swept Japan from the west to the east. In Tokyo, it marked the fourth largest accumulation in history, 27cm, just the same record of last weekend. Having learned a lesson from experienced one week ago, businessmen and women went home early in the Friday evening, leaving restaurants and bars mostly empty.

That worsened troubles in ground transportation. Commuter trains were extremely clouded by passengers going home. Transportation system in Tokyo is extremely vulnerable to snow, as everyone knew. Trains delayed by trouble of the switches or too many passengers getting on and off in every station. One train crushed on another train stayed in a station in late Friday night, injuring nineteen passengers. The railroad company explained the brake system did not work well in a cold weather, while automatic train control system had no trouble.

In Haneda Air Port, 4,500 people stayed overnight in the building, waiting for airplanes that would be bringing them to their final destinations. In Narita Air Port, passengers of Japan Air Line international flights were left in the airport due to the lack of announcement of final boarding inside the building. Because of delay in arrival of airplanes, pilots and cabin attendants, the company temporarily stopped checking in, and could not inform departure time for some flights. Over one hundred passengers made a gaggle around the ground staffs, requiring proper explanation.

Some highway lines are closed by car accident. Cars made a long line on other highways, locking drivers in cars for hours. In Fukushima, ground self-defense force was mobilized for rescuing one hundred cars stuck on a road with heavy snow. Blackouts happened some places. Mobile phones stopped working due to blackout around operational stations.

If Tokyo had not had such a heavy population, trains did not have to work so hard in bad weather. However, leaders in politics, bureaucracy or business are ignoring the necessity of the discussion on it. Concentration of governmental power and wealth is making the national capital defenseless against natural, and possibly manmade, threats.

Stuck in Tag of War

The government of Japan and the United States agreed on the schedule of President Barack Obama visiting Japan late April. In spite of short visit, Japan is welcoming him with the protocol of state visit. While there would be a number of issues to talk with, Japanese media focuses on Obama’s effort as an arbitrator between Japan and South Korea. Obama’s round trip to Asia may be fallen in the tag of war between Japan and South Korea.

Obama is visiting Japan on 22^nd and 23^rd of April, followed by visits to South Korea, Malaysia and Philippine. The White House recognizes the trip “as a part of his ongoing commitment to increase U.S. diplomatic, economic and security engagement with countries in the Asia-Pacific region.”

In terms of economy, Obama will raise the issue of free trade frameworks represented by controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership and bilateral free trade agreement with South Korea. He will also stress the close tie with South Korea to watch the situation of nuclear weapons and missile development in North Korea. But, the key issue must be diplomacy. While he tries to maintain stable relationship with Asian countries to face emerging China, the problem is quarrel between Japan and South Korea.

U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, urged South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yun Byung-se, to improve the relationship with Japan in a bilateral meeting in Seoul. “Not only history issues, we have a lot of problems in security issue,” told Kerry in joint press conference with Yun. That was an effort of Kerry not letting Obama’s visit get stuck in the deteriorated relationship between Japan and South Korea.

However, both nations insisted on which side U.S. stood closer. In the press conference, South Korean reporters argued that basic reason of the deterioration should be attributed to behavior of Japanese Premier, Shinzo Abe. Kerry had to admit that U.S. also possessed different view from Abe’s.

Making sharp contrast, some Japanese newspaper reported that Kerry took a standpoint closer to Japan by urging South Korea’s approach to Japan. As long as history matters, the Japanese and South Koreans are ignoring national interests gained by international stability in Asia.

It is unclear so far whether Obama will be able to achieve as successful results as he is wishing. To construct viable security system to deal with the assertive behavior of China, it is indispensable for U.S. to establish fully cooperative environment in the region. Considering the deepness of historical dispute, the situation will not be changed unless Obama brings an actual solution.

Just Hate It

How can we say that a national leader is legitimate, when he asserts the Constitution, by which his power is vested on, is baseless? Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, has been reiterating strange remarks during the discussion in the Diet. “The draft of current constitution was literally made by the occupation army. Having spent a long time, there are provisions out of date. We write our own constitution. That is the concept that opens our future,” told Abe. After all, he simply hates it.

The focus of constitutional argument these days is about reinterpretation of Article IX, which prohibits exercise of collective self-defense right. Although Cabinet Legislation Bureau, which has been the highest authority in interpreting the constitution, had been keeping a standpoint that exercise of collective self-defense right could not be exercised, because it would exceed the requirement of the constitution for unilateral defense, and that the cabinet would need to amend the constitution, if it had wanted to do that.

Abe has been looking to be frustrated with the interpretation. “I am the supreme leader of the government. I will be responsible for statements of the government and exposed to the decision of the nation in the election,” he emphasized. He showed, in other words, his intention to overtake CLB as the authority of interpreting constitution.

Why is Abe so serious about the reinterpretation? That is because he thinks it is necessary. “The security situation around Japan is getting severe and threats easily come over the borders. No nation can protect its peace and security only by it self,” he reiterated this phrase, as if he thought it to be a magic spell.

However, his reasoning has some weak points. He emphasizes that Japan-U.S. alliance will come to an end, if a Japanese Marine Self-defense Force is not helping an attacked U.S. Navy vessel. How the alliance will be broken up, by the way? Is he saying that U.S. would immediately repeal San Francisco Treaty, because Japan is denying to help a U.S. vessel? He also asserts that it is impossible for the Self-Defense Force to remove mines on the sea lane or to inspect a vessel on international sea. But, there is an argument that it is possible within a concept of individual self-defense right, which the constitution already allows the government doing.

The argument of Abe is setting unrealistic limit in the activities of Self-defense Force, threatening the nation with unrealistic possibility in a jeopardy of Japan, and induce the people to follow the government, along with the propaganda of threats from Asian Continent. The biggest problem is the fact that the leader does not have actual strategy to deal with the consequence he will be drawing out.

So Many Celebration Days

February 11th is a holiday of Japan called National Foundation Day. It is believed that the first Emperor of Japan, Jinmu, acceded on the day in B.C. 660. The ultra-conservatives set this year as the beginning of history. Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, for the first time as a current Premier, delivered a message to celebrate the day on Tuesday. Although it appealed to the nation holding patriotism, no critical reaction from China and South Korea has appeared so far.

“I am renewing my determination and responsibility to make our beloved country, Japan, more beautiful and dignified,” told Abe in his message. “This is a day of significance,” Abe added, “for each of us to remember the effort of our ancestors to build the basis for current prosperity we are enjoying, and to pledge to further develop the state.” He stressed the significance of the day to be remembering the foundation of the nation and cultivating patriotism.

Before World War II, February 11th had been called the Day of Era. Although it was abolished three years after the end of the war, Prime Minister, Eisaku Sato, granduncle of Abe, legislated it to be a national holiday. The conservatives and liberals had separately been holding ceremony to praise or criticize the day. This year, a liberal historian, Masayasu Hosaka, argued that Abe kept on making historically baseless remarks and forcing to share his sentiment using adjectives like “beautiful.” A conservative group called Association to Celebrate the Foundation of Japan paraded in downtown Tokyo with over five thousand attendees.

This is a prime minister who likes to celebrate historical event from conservative perspective. The Government of Japan decided to send a parliamentary vice-minister of Cabinet Office to the ceremony of Takeshima Day on 22th of February. Takeshima is an island administrated by South Korea, and Japan has been disputing its sovereignty. At the time the prefectural government of Shimane legislated the day as Takeshima Day, South Korea strongly opposed it. It is obvious that South Korea will negatively respond to the ceremony this year.

Actually, South Korean government has taken countermeasures. On National Foundation Day of Japan, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family of South Korea announced that it would seek legislating Comfort Women Day this year. August 14th, the day a former comfort woman identified herself for the first time, is considered to be Comfort Women Day.

On Northern Territory Day, February 7th, Abe attended the ceremony of remembering the day of Shimoda Treaty was signed in 1855, then embarked on Sochi, Russia, to attend Olympic ceremony. On the treaty, Japan and Russia established official relationship, on which Japan has been disputing sovereignty on the Northern Territory against Russia.

On the other hand, Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, indicated not to have any ceremony for Sovereignty Restoration Day, April 28, on which Abe had received harsh criticisms, when he held a ceremony with attendance of the Emperor for the first time last year. His behavior spread negative impression against Japan in United States, from which Japan resorted its sovereignty, and in Okinawa, which was laid under the administration of U.S. as the compensation of the restoration of sovereignty.

As it appears to be stimulating sentiments of Japan’s neighbors, there seems no limit of damage posed by Abe’s rightist agenda.

Pride or Management

Worried about tumbling down in the world college ranking, University of Tokyo, for the first time in its history, is introducing new admission system based on recommendation. Its targets are the students with high English efficiency, professional-level business experience or major achievement in international science Olympics. Although it is recognized as an attempt to shift from knowledge-based admission, the university is too proud of itself to widen the entrance for various students.

The entrance system of Japanese colleges is different between public schools and private ones. Public schools, most of them are national university, requires two exams, common basic exam and independent exam of each school. The first step is called College Entrance Examination Center Test held in mid-January. Referring to the result of Center Test, each student decides the university he/she will apply. The independent exam will be held on the same day late February.

While it demands all candidates to take the Center Test, University of Tokyo introduces exemption of the independent test to the students who have advantage in specific fields. The Medical Department, one of the most talented students in Japan will enter, will require 100 point or more in TOEFL iBT for recommendation admission applicants.

On the background of the decision, there was a need of the university to collect various types of students. In Times Higher Education World University Rankings last year, University of Tokyo was located in 23^rd position. Although it was the highest among universities in Asia, UoT still has long way to catch up the top three, California Institute of Technology, Harvard and Oxford. To enlist excellent students from other countries, the university needed to change its admission policy extremely dependent on knowledge in five subjects, Japanese language, English, science, math and social study. For example, 100 pts in TOEFL iBT is very high score for Japanese students, while it what U.S. top colleges ordinarily require for international students.

However, UoT could not give up knowledge. By mandating applicants to take the Center Test, it still requires broad range of knowledge. Private universities have already introduced admission system based on achievement in art, music, sports, English efficiency or activities in overseas. As long as national schools insist on producing bureaucrats with broad knowledge, they will not collect various kinds of potential leaders.

It’s Sustainability

Main message of the winner was “Tokyo, the number one in the world.” A former Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare, Yoichi Masuzoe, swept all other fifteen candidates in Tokyo metropolitan gubernatorial election voted on Sunday. So, what kind of number one did he mean? Nobody knows. He just yelled number one welfare, number one safety and number one Olympic games, which did not make reasonable sense. Before discussing it, can Tokyo survive crises it has to face in the future?

According to exit polls, voters focused on economy and employment the most, followed by welfare and nuclear energy. Former Chairman of Japan Bar Association, Kenji Utsunomiya, and former Prime Minister, Morihiro Hosokawa, stayed far behind of Masuzoe. Even the sum of votes for Utsunomiya and Hosokawa did not surpass Masuzoe’s, the fact which showed voter’s reluctance in discussing nuclear issue. What was shocking for Hosokawa, who got firm support of former popular Prime Minister, Jun-ichiro Koizumi, was votes for him could not overtake those for Utsunomiya, who shifted his strategy from no-nuclear energy to welfare and other concerned issues.

Masuzoe’s main talking point in his campaign was welfare. Ratio of people in sixty-five years old or more will increase from twenty percent in 2010 to thirty-four percent in 2040. More houses, supporting stations and health care workers will be needed in everywhere in Tokyo. Although Masuzoe promised world number-one-level welfare, it was still not clear that would be enough. He also appealed the number one Olympic in the history in Tokyo, asking people supreme hospitality.

Those are not the points for future of Tokyo. There is an estimate that the likeliness of as big earthquake as magnitude seven is seventy percent in next thirty years. If it happens, not only Tokyo Olympic but also Tokyo itself will fade away. In spite of decades-long argument of disseminating functions of the capital, politics and bureaucracy has been lazy in getting conclusion. It is close to the situation when leaders had been rejecting to prepare for entire power down in nuclear power plant, simply because they did not imagine such a disaster.

To meet demands of voters who wanted to reduce consumption of nuclear power, Masuzoe definitely needs to elaborate how Tokyo can show realistic energy supply, namely a concrete plan for development of renewable energy. Sustainability matters not because that is main concern of voters, but because Tokyo is literally on the verge of perish.