Macroeconomic Slide Activated

Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare announced that it would raise the payment of public pension by 0.9% from this April. Regarding current increase of commodity price and wage, the payment should be rising up to 2.3%. The reason why the payment was oppressed by 1.4 % was activation of macroeconomic slide system, which was introduced in 2004, but has not been activated in deflation economy. This is the beginning of the time when pension premium will not be fully returned to the people.

Pension system of workers for private company consists of three layers: national pension, welfare pension and company pension. National pension and welfare pension are categorized as public pension, which payment is annually reviewed by MHLW.

According to consumers’ commodity price index in 2014, rising by 2.7% from the previous year, and to surplus rate of wage with 2.3% rise, growth of public pension payment would be 2.3%. However, actual payment will grow by 0.9% with macroeconomic slide. An average person in April will receive ¥65,008 for national pension, with rise of ¥608, and ¥221,507 for welfare pension, with rise of ¥2,441.

This means that pension payment will no longer follow commodity price hike. Even though price of rice, shoes, clothes or utility payment rises, people will not receive enough payment for purchasing them. This may cause less consumption for aged people, who mainly live on pension system.

The reason of introducing macroeconomic slide system was demographic facts. With aging of baby boomers born in 1950s and less birth rate of these several decades, balance of Japanese population has been distorted. There will be a great amount of aged people and less young people to support social welfare. It is inevitable for pension system to reduce payment to aged people and premium for young workers. The reduction of payment will continue until the budget of public pension system will be balanced.

Due to ambitious economic policy introduced by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, commodity price is rising months by month. That triggered dissolution of frozen policy for reducing pension payment. At the introduction of macroeconomic slide in 2004, it was supposed that it would take twenty years to balance the budget. But over ten years passed until the activation. Achievement of the balancing is not perspective right now.

To accelerate the achievement, MHLW is considering application of macroeconomic slide even in the time of deflation. But, it is obvious that further reform of pension system will damage daily life of aged people. Artificial growth is not really working for people’s life as a whole.

Political Argument over Piketty

It was unusual for the Diet of Japan to raise an academic discussion over economic policy. To discuss separation between the rich and the poor in Japanese society, legislators in the opposite parties introduced Thomas Piketty, author of an epoch-making economics book Capital in the Twenty-first Century, in the discussion at the House of Representatives Budget Committee on Thursday. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tried to defend his Abenomics as appropriate, only resulting in exposing himself to be irrelevant.

One of the legislators who raised Piketty’s argument was Akira Nagatsuma, who had ran for president of Democratic Party of Japan earlier this month with firm conviction for narrowing the social gap. “Piketty argues that broader gap between the rich and poor harms economic growth. Function of tax to redistribute wealth is necessary,” told Nagatsuma in his question to Abe.

Abe answered to the question with strange argument. “Picketty does not deny economic growth,” he said. No one, including Nagatsuma, denies economic growth, Mr. Prime Minister. The point was balance between growth and redistribution. Nagatsuma was saying that gravity should be more close to the side of redistribution. But, Abe brought the discussion to an extremism of all or nothing. This is how the discussion on the highest organ of state power in Japan is deteriorated.

Then, Abe started routine denouncement of DPJ. “Redistribution without growth makes things worse and worse. This is our difference from DPJ,” told Abe. No one appealed redistribution without growth. DPJ has its own plan for economic growth and is reinforcing it. Abe also quoted Piketty’s indication that Japan had not experienced significant expansion of social gap after 1945. But, the main reason why Liberal Democratic Party was defeated in the election in 2009 was people’s frustration with social gap produced by neo-liberalism economy policy taken by former Premier, Jun-ichiro Koizumi.

At the time legislators were discussing in the Diet, Piketty was making speech in another place in Tokyo. He raised a tendency that concentration of wealth to rich people was in progress in developed counties after 1980s. “Value of asset succeeded as heritage tends to grow in Japan, where less population and low growth are prevalent,” told Piketty about Japan. His view to the future of Japan is not as optimistic as Abe thinks. Piketty’s book marks unusual high sales in Japan. But, it is a phenomenon, in which people use it as a tool of proving academic literacy without precise understanding.

Precipitation of Aviation Business

The board of directors of Skymark Airlines, the third biggest aviation carrier in Japan following All Nippon Airways and Japan Airline, decided to apply to Civil Rehabilitation Law on Wednesday evening. In short, it bankrupted. Although it had been making efforts to survive high competition in between two major companies and low cost carriers, Skymark failed in expanding its business. The bankruptcy revealed a fact that aviation business had exceeded saturation point.

Skymark was established in 1996, when Japanese government was promoting the comprehensive policy of deregulation. Starting from Tokyo-Fukuoka line, it became as big as the third aviation company with twenty-seven domestic lines. In the situation that other mid-size companies, such as Air Do or Star Flyers, required investment from bigger companies, Skymark insisted on independent management without debt.

Turning point was 2012, when low cost carriers jumped in the competition. Although Skymark had been reforming its management with introducing smaller aircrafts than those of major airlines and simplification of service for passengers to reduce transportation fare, it was forced to face competition for further cost cutting. Skymark took a policy of introducing greater aircrafts with wider passenger seats to compete with smaller companies.

However, Skymark could not earn sufficient seat occupancy. Its new strategy did not invite new customers to fulfill its seats and higher cost of greater aircraft harmed the balance seat of the company. Lawsuit of Airbus, requiring $700 million for withdrawal penalty in purchase of six A380, seriously damaged Skymark and directly caused its bankruptcy. The company precipitated to the ground only within three years.

It is concerned that deregulation of aviation business will be slowed down. At the time the government introduced deregulation policy in 1990s, passenger fare of airlines was extremely high for ordinary people to have trips. Skymark contributed to that goal as a leader of new comers. Now the structure of aviation business is coexistence of the major two and LCCs. Mid-size companies are still in hard situation.

Fundamental question is do we need such many aviation companies in this island country smaller than the State of California. With consistent request from local communities, the government allowed construction of a number of regional airports. But, those regional airports did not bring easy transportation, but great financial burden to the region. This is one aspect of distorted development policies leaning heavily on building infrastructures.

Use of Force for Saving People

To deal with kidnapping incident in Syria, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is going to be more involved in fight against terrorism. He appealed the necessity of enhancing capability of Japanese Self-defense Force in foreign countries to rescue Japanese people. This prime minister seems to believe in that Japanese Self-defense Force can save life of Kenji Goto, a Japanese hostage in Islamic State. If so, do it now. It is obvious that Goto’s life will be more threatened, if Japan sends the force to neighbor country of Syria. This leader makes such a reckless speech.

In the discussion of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, Abe emphasized Japan’s conviction to contribute to war on terrorism. “Our country never gives in terrorism,” he reiterated. “Our support to neighbor country of Syria was aimed to humanitarian support. It was proper activity as a member of international society. If we give in threats from terrorists with concern of that risk, we will not be able to make humanitarian support at all,” Abe added in his answer to the questions of the opposite parties.

Two days before the discussion, Abe revealed his intention to add new capability on self-defense force in abroad in TV program. “When Japanese people encountered a mischief in abroad, the Self-defense Force cannot exercise its full capability,” told Abe. He revealed his hope to include broader capability of the force for using weapons in coming legislation for enhanced security. He also presented his idea that Japanese Self-defense Force can join coalition forces for logistic support even without any United Nations resolution.

Calm down, Mr. Prime Minister. Islamic State raised Japan’s humanitarian support to its neighbor countries as adversary behavior. What if Japan sends its troops there? Hostages will immediately be killed. Countries involved in military operation to fight Islamic State were targeted as enemies. There were assault to the parliament in Ottawa, Canada, murder of hostages in a restaurant in Sydney, Australia, and a newspaper office in Paris, France, was destroyed. It is likely that Tokyo will be targeted as the place for terrorist attack. Countermeasures in Abe’s mind may throw Japanese people in danger.

Compared to coalition countries, Japan is less related to struggle between Western nations and Islamic extremists. It is reasonable for Japan to take certain distance from it. If it causes deterioration of alliance with United States, Japan needs to explain the role of itself in non-military measures. Abe looks to be overturning Japan’s credibility in Middle East, that has been accumulated in post-war era.

Deception for Information Control

Focus of the kidnapping of Japanese men is now on how Japanese government handle the issue. Some newspapers revealed that the government knew the death of one of the two hostages, Haruna Yukawa, before the picture of another detainee, Kenji Goto, was uploaded on YouTube. While the officials pretended to have realized the death of Yukawa after the web stream was uploaded. The government cannot control its important information without lying to the people.

The government has obtained the video with picture of Goto with photo of dead Yukawa in his hands certain period of time before it was uploaded. The officials analyzed the footage and reconfirmed its authenticity. Abe administration called King Abdullah of Jordan around 5 p.m. of Saturday, six hours before the footage was uploaded, and told the king that the demand of Islamic State had changed from ransom to release a female prisoner in Jordan.

Mainichi Shimbun reported a possibility that hostage exchange may be taken place in a form of two plus two. It quoted a report of Jordan Times that indicated new demand of Islamic State which added a male prisoner with death sentence to the demand of free Sajida al-Rishawi in hostage exchange. It might mean a deal that the exchange would be done with Goto and two Jordanian pilots captured by Islamic State. However, King Abdullah prioritized release of Jordanian hostages to Japanese detainee. It is questioned whether Japanese diplomacy has really built trustful relationship with Jordanian government.

In expectation of release of hostages, the Japanese public has been relatively calm, not having broad demonstration in streets like in Paris at the time of assault on Charlié Hebdo. But people are getting nervous about situation of Goto. New action was launched from New York. A Japanese movie producer, Taku Nishimae, launched new page of Facebook and Twitter, in which he stand with card reading “I am Kenji,” paralleling with “Je suis Charlié.” Knowing Goto for ten years, Nishimae appealed Goto’s goodness and required Goto’s release to the world. A lot of people approve it and uploaded picture with the message of “I am Kenji.”

Strangely enough, right wing people in Japan are not joining such a nationalistic action to save their fellow countrymen, reiterating not giving in terrorism. Appalled by brutality of terrorism, obviously different from what they had seen in battle TV game, naïve conservatives keep on murmuring about personal responsibility of the captured journalist. They do not appeal further integrated action of Japan, escaping from reality. They might be realized how dangerous Abe’s polity to reach war on terrorism is.

Revisionism Revisited

Highly reluctant to apologize past aggression of Imperial Japan, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that his statement on August 15th at the seventieth anniversary from the end of Pacific War would be something different from Murayama Statement in 1995, in which Japan apologized to the world, namely Asian Nations. Depending on what kind of change he will add to past statements, Japan’s neighbor countries may be more frustrated with Abe administration than in the time he visited Yasukuni Shrine at the end of 2013.

Abe stepped up his attitude to new level. “I already said that I would succeed past statements in general,” told Abe in a discussion TV program on Sunday morning. Based on that recognition, he revealed his intention to deliver new statement not ina perspective of whether he should use the same old wordings, but of how Abe Cabinet would think about it. “If I follow the past styles as basis of the statement, there will be trivial argument on not using past words or inserting new words. I would like to deliver seventieth anniversary statement as seventy anniversary statement,” said Abe.

The controversial phrases in Murayama Statement are two sentences: “During a certain period in the not too distant past, Japan, following a mistaken national policy, advanced along the road to war, only to ensnare the Japanese people in a fateful crisis, and, through its colonial rule and aggression, caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of many countries, particularly to those of Asian nations. In the hope that no such mistake be made in the future, I regard, in a spirit of humility, these irrefutable facts of history, and express here once again my feelings of deep remorse and state my heartfelt apology.” Abe and his right-wing colleagues especially do not like the expressions of “through its colonial rule and aggression” and “heartfelt apology.”

In the same program, President of Democratic Party of Japan, Katsuya Okada, fiercely criticized Abe’s attitude on the statement. “I can not tolerate Prime Minister telling colonial rule and aggression trivial. Admitting past, succeeding what Japan did in post-war seventy years and forward looking are needed in the statement,” Okada stressed. President of Innovation Party, Kenji Eda, also offended, saying that changing keyword without succession would send wrong message. Chairman of Executive Committee, Kazuo Shii, joined the circle of denouncing the Premier. Even the President of Komeito, coalition partner of Liberal Democratic Party, warned Abe by noticing “extreme importance” of the keywords”

China immediately responded to Abe. Asahi Shimbun quoted a report of Xinhua News Agency, which said “This expression of attitude brought criticisms and questions from leaders of major political parties.” If Abe steps into new stage of struggle over history interpretation, United Statesmay again be taking distance from Abe administration. After “disappointment” of Obama administration on visiting Yasukuni Shrine late December, 2012, Abe showed honest attitude about the impact his personal belief would bring. But, once reminding of his supporter’s demand to be on the right side, he easily misses serious advices from foreign nations. As its consequence, diplomacy of Japan always swings.

New Stage of Kidnapping

One video footage shook Japan. A photograph of Kenji Goto, one of the two hostages in Islamic State, appeared on the website, showing two pictures which indicated execution of another hostage, Haruna Yukawa. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe released a comment denouncing the brutal crime. The government seems to have started considering new demand of the kidnappers. The incident has gotten into a new stage.

The video footage is one minute long with still picture of Goto. On the screen, Goto shows himself sitting in front of wall, holding pictures of Yukawa. “I am Kenji Goto Jogo. You have seen a photo of my cell mate, Haruna Yukawa, slaughtered in the land of Islamic Caliphate,” Goto says in the video. He realizes that Abe’s distrust on what Islamic State said about the kidnapping caused that consequence and wanted his family, friends and colleagues to persuade Abe to take action.

Goto also plays a role as a negotiator of Islamic State. He tells that the kidnappers no longer demand large amount of money for ransom. Instead, he reports the condition of releasing himself that is to release a prisoner with death sentence in Jordan, Sajida al-Rishawi, who is a female militant of Islamic State. If it was true message of Islamic State, the incident turned out to be a hostage exchange rather than earning money.

Abe firmly denounced the criminal. “It’s outrageous and intolerable violence. I feel anger and strongly accuse it,” Abe told to the reporters when he entered in his official residence about one hour after the video was uploaded. His Cabinet had a meeting to deal with the incident in the midnight. He also emphasized that Japan would never give in terrorism.

It is unclear whether Japanese government had a scenario of killing one of the two hostages and keeping on intimidating with another one still in custody. There seems to be no time limit for exchanging hostages. Islamic State may have been involved in a realistic negotiation, dismissing excessive demand of a great amount of money. The fact that the criminals chose Goto, to whom a broad movement to save his life, to be a card for negotiation indicated ability of the organization to collect necessary information.

If the incident goes into a matter of hostage exchange, Japanese government will truly be tested in its diplomacy to Middle East. It is not realistic for the people in Jordan to release the killer terrorist in order to save one Japanese life. Abe will have to persuade not only the Islamic terrorists, but also Jordan or other Islamic nations in Middle East to achieve a goal.

Different Dimensional Failure

Bank of Japan announced its perspective of commodity price hike in FY 2015 to be 1%, declining from 1.7%. Although the bank has been maintaining its inflation target of 2% in two years, it obviously became unlikely to reach it by March 2016. Since bold monetary policy has been the first arrow, or frontrunner in other words, of Abenomics, waning perspective of BoJ represents steep decline of economic policy of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Now Abenomics is now a matter of rhetoric.

In the press conference after decision-making meeting of BoJ on Wednesday, Governor Haruhiko Kuroda admitted that the achievement would be delayed. “It is highly possible that ratio of commodity price will reach 2% in and around FY 2015,” he reiterated, indicating likeliness of the achievement to be as late as FY 2016 or later. Main reason of the delay was low price of oil. “It is true that the timing of reaching 2% will move, because of volatility of oil price,” Kuroda explained.

It was early April of 2013, when Kuroda boldly announced BoJ’s policy to go forward to 2% hike of commodity price within two years. He named his policy “different dimensional monetary easing,” with convincing smile on his face. “I didn’t say it would be in FY 2015,” told Kuroda on Wednesday. You’re wrong, Governor. Two years from April 2013 must be this April. The end of FY 2015 will be March 2016. Even if BoJ achieves that 2% target at the end of FY 2015, it will still be three years from his announcement.

Nobody believes that the bank will achieve its two-year target. Growth rate of consumer price in last November was 0.7%, even lower than 1%. The growth rate is predicted to be declining further. But the bank is still optimistic, because it believes that mechanism of inflation is still working even in the low oil price. BoJ has positive perspective in FY 2016, in which it raised its target of commodity price hike from 2.1% to 2.2%, with expectation of oil price hike with no clear reason.

Abe postponed consumption tax hike, which was once planned to be introduced in this October. Leaders of Abe administration expect higher wage in this annual spring negotiation between employers and workers. They also hope positive spending of budget with infrastructure-leaning stimulus policy will contribute to economic growth. But no economic theory supports their expectation of higher wage. The effect of traditional stimulus policy of Liberal Democratic Party is limited as it has been.

What the administration needs to do is to admit its failure to achieve 2%-in-2-year policy and reconstruct its economic policy. As long as Abe is saying “there is no alternative way,” there will be no sustainable growth in Japanese economy.

Mother Asks Mercy

Movement to help two Japanese hostages is spreading. Mother of Kenji Goto, Junko Ishido, had a press conference at Foreign Correspondent Club in Japan Friday morning. She emphasized that Kenji was not an enemy of Islamic State. Not only families, but ordinary people in Japan are joining the effort to rescue them. This is an unusual non-government movement in Japan.

Ishido looked very waning, when she appeared at the podium in conference room. She started her statement with appreciation to media corps being there and apology on the consequence her son’s activity had brought. “I have only been crying with deep grief for these three days,” told Ishido. She did not know about his trip to Syria before his leaving. She realized that Goto had a baby two weeks before the trip after the hostage video was released in her conversation with Goto’s wife. The purpose of the trip was to rescue another hostage, Haruna Yukawa.

In her statement, Ishido reiterated her request to release her son. “Kenji always said that he wanted to help the children in battlefields. He reported wars from neutral standpoint. I say to the people in Islamic State that Kenji is not an enemy of Islamic State. I hope you to release him,” told Ishido. She also appealed pacific nature of her country. “Japan swore not to wage war in Article IX of its constitution. It had actually not been involved in a war these seventy years. It also is a victim of atomic bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki with sacrifice of hundreds of thousand lives,” she followed.

As Ishido described, Goto has been a kind man. He always took care of weaker friends in his childhood with his conviction of justice. “No mother raises her kid for sending to war. Since Kenji is good at educating children, I will ask him to work for kids who will build the future,” she told. She wrapped up her statement with words of “Only a short period of time is left. Please save Kenji’s life, the government.”

As if responding to her, there appeared various people who gathered in a cause of saving Goto’s life. Japan Broadcasting Corporation, or NHK, reported video footage of Moslems praying for the hostages in a mosque in Isezaki city, Gunma. “Moslems never do such a cruel thing. I hope the hostages will come back alive,” told one male member of the mosque to the interview.

Women students of in a classroom of the school where Goto had a lecture for human rights of women and children also prayed for him a few days ago. One of the students hoped that Goto would be released and give another lecture in her classroom shedding tears in front of TV camera. Japan is more united for saving their lives than ever.

Release Japanese Hostages

It is less than twenty-four hours to the deadline that Islamic State had set for negotiation over releasing two Japanese hostages with request of $2 million for ransom. Even how it may follow Islamic lessons, it is inappropriate for them to blackmail the Japanese, because the Japanese are not enemies of Islamic people. The wisest choice for Islamic State is to release Japanese hostages and start building better relationship with Japan.

One of the hostages, Kenji Goto, is completely innocent. He has been a freelance journalist, mainly covering weaker people in warzone, such as women or children. His motivation to have gone into Islamic State territory several times a couple of years was to report about innocent people suffered from airstrikes by United States and its coalition. To reveal bad behavior of Islamic State was not his purpose to be there.

After coming back from Syria, he told his story to the students in Tokyo. He wrote books introducing photographs of young kids in Syria. In other words, he has been a speaker for Islamic people in Japan. Although he went into Islamic State to rescue another hostage, Haruna Yukawa, killing Goto is a great loss for Islamic community.

Yukawa went into Islamic State for his business, which dealt with security guard in conflicting area. He was not matured as a businessman, but was misunderstood as enemy, because he was travelling with rebel group of Syria. However, he had no intention to disturb the operation of Islamic State. His activity in the territory was not worth death penalty. Many people in Japan hope he will come back alive.

Islamic Scholar, Hassan Nakata Ko, on Thursday released a statement to request release of those two hostages. “I want you to wait while I explain Japanese government what Islamic State thinks and make new proposal. I hope you do nothing on the hostages when seventy-two hour moratorium expired. I am ready to reach you. I know you released 350 hostages for humanity purpose in Yazidi, Iraq, on 17^th of this month and I approve it. It improved impression of you. Releasing the Japanese will improve image of Islam and Islamic State and I hope so. Muslims also hope so,” told Nakata to Commander Umar in Islamic State, his friend in Islamic State and his acquaintances in his press conference in Tokyo on Thursday

Although Prime Minister Shinzo Abe innocently visited Israel and announced Japan’s pledge in Jerusalem, Japan is basically neutral in Middle Ease issue. The pledged money will not used for airstrike of United States Forces. Japan-U.S. alliance is not for one-sided support for Israel, but mainly for its own security in East Asia. Most Islamic nations may not have diplomatic relationship with Israel. But, Japan will not exacerbate relationship with Islamic nations, when they had relationship with North Korea, with which Japan does not have diplomatic relation. Killing Japanese hostage will be based on fundamental misunderstanding.

Wrong Targeting

Islamic State released a video footage that showed a man in black clothes capturing two Japanese men and threatened their lives. It requested Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Japanese people to pay two hundred million dollars as ransom. Although Abe might have misguided Japanese diplomacy to wrong direction, it is deadly wrong for ISIS to target Japanese nation. While Abe and his colleagues occupy overwhelming majority in the Diet, he only represented a quarter of voters in election. This mistake of targeting will lead the terrorist organization to elimination.

“Although you are more than 8,500 kilometers away from the Islamic State, you willingly volunteered to take part in this crusade,” told the masked man in the video. It was thought that they targeted Abe’s pledge of two hundred dollars to Middle East nations for dealing with problem stemming from Islamic State couple of days ago. ISIS took Japanese contribution as helping coalition forces led by United States.

Abe was in his trip to Middle East when the video was released. ISIS seemed to highlight their appeal against air-striking campaign by United States in a timing that Japanese political leader was obviously involved in Middle East issue. Abe expressed his intention not to give in terrorism, but did not rule out negotiation with ISIS.

“My pledge was for refugees to carry their lives on. International society recognizes its high value. We will continue helping them in non-military ways. To cooperate with international society and contribute to peace and security in the region are our unshaken conviction and never be changed,” said Abe in the press conference.

Most Japanese approved Abe’s explanation. Newspapers stressed misunderstanding of ISIS on purpose of the pledge. Japan did not actually take part in the airstrike of United States. It is not Japan that made Japan involved in war against ISIS, but ISIS that wanted to do so. It is true that Japan’s current upsurge in military readiness has one aspect of reinforcing alliance with U.S. However, overwhelmingly pacifist policy of Japan has nothing to do with hostility against Islamic lessons.

By pushing relatively neutral Japan into the side against ISIS, ISIS will be more isolated in international society. With request of cooperation from Japanese government, Islamic countries will take care of Japan more than ever. Even if ISIS kills those hostages, Japan will not stop funding struggle against ISIS. Airstrike will never end as long as ISIS ruthlessly kills innocent people. Confronting Japan will made the life of ISIS shorter.

Convenient Compassion against Holocaust

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited a facility of memorizing holocaust in Israel. What he learned was how discrimination could make people brutal. However, some may want him to learn from Japanese history, before getting wisdom from European history. It is necessary for Abe to directly face what the Japanese did in the war and what is going on in current Japanese society.

Abe had one-hour tour in Yad Vashem, the national museum on holocaust history in Jerusalem. “I could learn how discrimination on a specific ethnicity and targeting it as an object of hatred make human cruel,” told Abe after exploring in the museum. He also expressed his determination to work for the world without discrimination and war, in which human rights would be protected.

He also raised a legendary diplomat in the wartime, who issued visa approval to the Jewish who escaped from holocaust in Japanese Consulate in Lithuania. “We have Chiune Sugihara for our ancestor. There were not a few people who helped Jewish refugees to go to Japan with visa issued by him. I would follow their braveness,” emphasized Abe. He appealed his peaceful idea to the Jewish community. Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, explained that Abe’s speech was addressed for Japan’s contribution to peace and prosperity of the world.

Abe has not agreed with the argument that three hundred thousand people were killed in Nanjing Massacre in 1937. He and his colleagues see some exaggeration in the argument, showing no apology for the historical event. In the first Abe administration, he launched Joint Committee on Historical Study by experts of Japan and China. In this second administration, he showed no attempt to communicate with China on history issue. Did he learn nothing from history in Nanjing?

Looking inside Japan, hatred against Korean residents has been growing. People in hate speech keep on hurling cruel words to Korean students in front of their schools. United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Radical Discrimination delivered a recommendation requiring Japan to legislate preventing measures against discriminative demonstration. Nevertheless, Abe administration does not make any effort to abide by it. His colleagues tried to take advantage of the recommendation to prevent demonstration against nuclear power generation around Official Residence of Prime Minister.

Abe has extremely been reluctant to recognize inconvenient truth of history. That attitude also appears in comfort woman issue. Holocaust might be convenient for him to appeal the legitimacy of his positive pacifism. But, if he is serious in eliminating discrimination, he at least needs to explain his viewpoint on Nanjing Massacre and regulate hate speech in Japan.

No New Way for Revival

 The second largest party in Japan chose a man who had been called “fundamentalist” by his colleague. Presidential election in Democratic Party of Japan resulted in a narrow victory of former Foreign Minister, Katsuya Okada, over emerging young leader, Goshi Hosono, and a representative of internal leftists, Akira Nagatsuma. While Okada stressed party’s conviction to firmly confront Shinzo Abe administration, it is still unclear whether a lot of unrealistically principle-oriented guys in the party will follow him.

The race was unexpectedly close. Because party leaders in the time of DPJ administration mostly supported, Okada had been supposed to be winning with a great margin. However, that syndicate looked representing old type DPJ and expectation for refreshment went to Hosono. Hosono won over Okada in the first vote, but Okada turned over in the second ballot gaining support from Nagatsuma group that was in the third place in the first vote.

DPJ has been lazy in reconstruction of itself after leaving administration. Party leaders lost their cause to appeal the public. Former Prime Ministers, Naoto Kan and Yoshihiko Noda, firmly shut their mouths and talked nothing about the future of DPJ. Young legislators disappointed to their leadership and started looking for alternative stage they could act. Weakness in implementing the policies they raised in election campaign seriously eroded basis of the party.

The biggest agenda for DPJ is how to get rid of that vicious circle. To achieve that, they need to stop threatening their own leadership. It is possible that Hosono and his colleagues will oppose Okada’s negative attitude on security issues in Abe administration. Some of the members may say they will leave the party, if Okada will not approve importance of new security policy. If Okada approves that opinion, then, legislators in Nagatsuma group will be frustrated with and threatening Okada backed by the power of labor union. Followership matters.

Even though Okada receives cooperation from other groups, it is unclear whether DPJ will regain more public support. Concerning the fact that overall support for Abe administration is based on moderate situation of economy, DPJ needs to show their own alternatives in economic policy. DPJ already have confidence in equal distribution of wealth. It is the most important for them to coordinate growth strategy. Policy package Okada is going to make will be the focus on how DPJ can escape the crisis.

The Golden Mean Is Best

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe chose Meddle East for the destination in his first foreign trip in 2015. In his policy speech in Cairo, Egypt, on Saturday, Abe announced Japan’s financial support for the nations in Middle East, expecting to contribute to the struggle against terrorism. Trying to express his compassion to the region, Abe upheld a concept of “the golden mean is best” as a significant value of Middle East society. What did he mean with the saying?

Abe announced new financial support to Middle East with total amount of $2.5 billion. The aid included $200 million of free financial aid to neighbor countries of Iraq or Syria, which have been suffering from growth of Islamic State. To Egypt, he offered $360 million of Japanese Yen loan for expanding Borg el Arab International Airport or border security for preventing terrorist move. Abe wanted to show his willingness to be involved in the global war on terror.

However, it was obvious that the countries in Middle East did not expect political, diplomatic or military contribution of Japan so much. Japan has made it clear that it would not be involved in any military operation in Middle East, as all of them do understand. Although Japan will spend $500 thousand of its money for border security of Egypt, it apparently is not enough to deter every move of ISIS. Japan’s contribution to the war is highly limited.

Knowing or not that low expectation, Abe raised his voice to sell his idea to the audience in Cairo. “Stability of Middle East is the basis of peace and stability for the world and Japan. If terrorism and weapons of mass destruction spread as they do, loss of international society will be uncountable. Japan is determined to devote its experience, knowledge and capability for peace and stability of the world,” told Abe.

He quoted “The golden means is best” in that context, expressing his expectation for Middle East not to go to extremism. “I focus on the wisdom of this region. Why this wisdom should be highlighted now? It is from our concern on current extension of extremism and fragility of order in Middle East,” emphasized Abe.

One lucky thing for him was that most people in Middle East had no idea about how this Prime Minister had been destroying “the golden means” in Japan with his one-sided economic policy. Abenomics has been pouring money into big corporations, leaving middle or small businesses behind and social rift between the rich and poor is getting wider. Abe knows well that the audience was innocent.

Walk This Way

The first Japanese laureate of Nobel Peace Prize was described as a puppet of United States government. Newly disclosed diplomatic document revealed that former Prime Minister, Eisaku Sato, rewrote his speech to emphasize importance of Japan-U.S. alliance in his first visit to Okinawa in 1965, having received a request from U.S. The episode indicated the fact that Japan had long been told by U.S. “Walk this way.”

Sato visited Okinawa under administration of U.S. Force for the first time after the end of World War II as Japanese Prime Minister on August 19^th, 1965. He planned to deliver two speeches, one in Naha Airport at his arrival and another in a reception event hosted by Ryukyu local government. “I realize that our post-war era will not end as long as Okinawa is not returned to its homeland,” told Sato at the airport.

According to disclosed document, U.S. Embassy in Japan offered some points to edit Sato’s speeches after reading the drafts in August 17^th. The Embassy asked Japanese officials to let Sato describe about strategic and security importance of Okinawa and to add some phrases to recognize the importance for defense of Japan. Next day, U.S. Minister to Japan firmly requested to rewrite the draft, based on an idea that no reference on the importance was disparaging to U.S. administration in Okinawa and would disturb cooperative relationship in Okinawa between the two nations.

Japanese side explained that those two speeches were to be delivered to the residents in Okinawa and not a protest against U.S. However, U.S. criticized the draft as wrong in terms of its tone as a whole and ignoring U.S. in the speeches that would be most reported by news media. Although Sato did not change the speech in Naha Airport, the speech in the reception was edited to insert “the fact of Japan-U.S. alliance based on the Security Treaty, security importance of Okinawa and economic and social progress even under administration of U.S.”

Before the administrative return of Okinawa from U.S. to Japan, there were various diplomatic consultations between Japan and U.S. Among them was secret agreement over introduction of nuclear weapons to Okinawa or compensation of Japan for the cost of construction to return military bases to original status. In the negotiation between two nations, U.S. had always been dominant.

That structure still remains in the biggest issue in Okinawa, relocation of Futenma Marine Air Base. It is inevitable that a nation lost in an international war may be subject to a winner for certain period of time. The problem is Japanese government has been pretending to be equal in front of Japanese public.

New Chapter of Saga

Another challenge against the government rose up from Western Japan. Newly elected Governor of Saga, Yoshinori Yamaguchi, announced that he would review the plan of deploying transportation helicopter, MV-22 Osprey, to Saga Airport in his first day of the office. The national government was stalled for a while and started offending yamaguchi. Following the trouble in Okinawa, Shinzo Abe administration again missed appropriate handling of relationship with a local community, caused by lack of communication.

Yamaguchi was elected in the election last Sunday, fulfilling former governor, Yasushi Furukawa, who accepted deployment of Osprey, which Ground Self-defense force would introduce in FY 2015, just before his stepping down and running for the election of the House of Representatives last november. “Saga Prefecture is working for accepting Osprey,” Furukawa unequivocally said. He is well-known as supporter of Abe, willing to resume nuclear reactors for power generation.

Yamaguchi was not a candidate who would succeed Furukawa. Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito supported another candidate against Yamaguchi. Although those leading parties had firm political organization in the region, people in Saga raised Yamaguchi, protesting agricultural reforming policy of Abe administration. Yamaguchi is confident in his popularity and willing to oppose national unilateral policy.

Yamaguchi showed his determination to assess the policy once his predecessor accepted. “I do not swallow it. This problem is not something that can be solved with simple yes or no. It is necessary to reconfirm how they will be deployed with what kind of plan, and to find out the consequence of it,” told Yamaguchi. Osprey is highly unpopular in Japan as less safe aircraft. People in Okinawa protested the deployment of Osprey to Futenma Marine Airbase in 2013.

The officers of Abe administration were shocked by Yamaguchi’s challenging attitude. Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, firstly showed soft attitude, requiring further communication with Saga, but it turned to be hard one, showing no possibility of changing the plan for Osprey deployment. The national government already included related spending in FY 2015 budget request.

The failure of Abe administration was clear when LDP lost the gubernatorial election, in which it tried to plant its favorite person as Governor of Saga. Although Abe perhaps needed to recognize his defeat and listen to the local voices, he rejected it. As long as Abe believes in dictatorial power of central government, Saga will gradually be another Okinawa, where the people firmly distrust national government.