Opposite Leader Steps Down

President of Democratic Party, Katsuya Okada, the leader of biggest opposite party in the Diet, announced his resignation with his intention of not running for presidential election of the party in September. In the election of House of Councillors earlier this month, Okada failed in implementing his campaign promise to prevent the power for constitutional amendment from occupying two-third majority in the House. He took responsibility of it. However, DP does not have competitive figure for next president, only consuming leadership.

In his press conference, Okada emphasized his achievement in the election as much as possible. “We could have a certain achievement in the election of House of Councillors. With marking first few steps to resurgence, we reached a point for a change,” told Okada. Then he said that having new leader would be preferable both for the party and politics with alternative power to current administration, expecting succeeding his policy of broad cooperation of the opposite parties.

Okada established a new type of framework of raising integrated candidate with Japan Communist Party, Social Democratic Party and People’s Life Party in each of 32 electoral districts, that resulted in winning 11 seats. But, looking at whole election, DP lost its 13 seats in the House. The leading parties could achieve two-third majority for constitutional amendment with other small conservative parties and independent lawmakers.

With sudden announcement of stepping down, DP lawmakers embarked on new campaign for presidential election. The group supporting Okada’s presidency expects one of Deputy Presidents, Renhou or Akira Nagatsuma to run for the election. Conservative lawmakers who are against coalition with JCP support former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Seiji Maehara, or former Minister of Environment, Goshi Hosono. Opposite party coalition will be the focus of the election.

It is inevitable that the presidential election will show further separation inside DP. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been willing to cooperate with conservative DP lawmakers for constitutional amendment. If Maehara or Hosono takes seat of the president, DP may approach the leading coalition for that issue. Even if they lose, dispute over the opposite coalition will remain with ignorance of negative impact of internal mess. As the opposite party cannot settle its own problem, Abe administration is simply getting stronger.

Symptomatic Measure in Monetary Policy

Bank of Japan decided additional monetary easing in its policy meeting on Friday. Receiving consistent request from Shinzo Abe administration, the central bank reluctantly took another step for supporting Abenomics. BOJ is going to review on the effect of major monetary easing policy starting April 2013. It is obvious that the bank became a policy tool of Prime Minister Abe.

The decision of additional monetary easing was made with approval of seven members and the rest of two opposed. BOJ will expand annual amount of purchase of exchange traded fund from ¥3.3 trillion to ¥6 trillion. It was aimed to urge investors active investment by eliminating psychological uneasiness with support of the central bank. The bank also increases total amount of money rending based on U.S. dollar from ¥12 billion to ¥24 billion. It maintained the amount of annual purchase of national bond at ¥80 trillion and interest of checking deposit of private banks in BOJ at minus 0.1%.

Governor of BOJ, Haruhiko Kuroda, explained the decision as appropriate and necessary action. “In the situation of opaqueness in the world economy, the decision was made for removing negative mind in corporation or household affected by volatility in monetary market,” told Kuroda in his press conference. He stressed that negative interest policy and continuous purchase of national bond was not proved to be wrong.

Leaders of Abe administration have kept on putting pressure for additional monetary easing. “We expect BOJ to keep on making greatest effort,” told Minister of Finance, Taro Aso. “Unification between the government and BOJ is important. I think Governor Kuroda knows it,” said Minister for Economic Revitalization, Nobuteru Ishihara. Worrying about slowdown of Abenomics, Abe administration required BOJ support for additional economic incentives this fall, which would be costing ¥28 trillion at project basis.

BOJ has been maintaining “different dimensioned monetary easing” from April 2013. After highly unusual negative interest policy, BOJ realized no additional measure was remaining. Expanding purchase of ETF was one of the few choices, which actually resulted in symptomatic treatment. Japanese yen against U.S. dollar hiked as high as ¥102 on Friday with disappointment. Tokyo Stock Market showed agile move like roller coaster.

There is a negative notion in the market that BOJ monetary policy is arriving to the limit. 2% target inflation policy plan has not achieved in two years, which was the goal set at the beginning. Interest of national bond, sharing one-third of all delivery, dropped to the historical low. One cannot help imagine bankruptcy of the central bank.

Reconciliation and Healing Foundation

Government of Republic of Korea launched a fund, named Reconciliation and Healing Foundation, for restoring honor of former comfort women, who had been victims of sexual exploitation of Imperial Japanese military during World War II. Japanese government has pledged to offer ¥1 billion, which is expected to be implemented as soon as next month. Nevertheless, the deal based on the agreement of both governments last December cannot be the final solution of the issue at all.

Japan and ROK agreed on mutual effort to heal the sentiment of former comfort women by establishing new fund, in which Korean government would take approach to them and Japanese government would pay for it. It was based on the lesson of Asian Women’s Fund in 1995, which was not received by most former comfort women with skepticism on Japanese government not apologizing on its deed in the past. This time, ROK government is involved in the reconciliation.

The entity is headed by Kim Tae-hyun, Professor Emeritus of Sungshin Women’s University. Kim reported that most of 37 former comfort women, who he met with, had offered support for the fund in his press conference on Thursday. Young students broke into the room before the press conference, protesting establishment of the foundation, and splashed unidentified liquid on Kim when he leaving after the conference. Kim was sent to a hospital.

There remains firm opposition in South Korea against finalizing comfort woman issue without clear apology from Japan. Some protesters are frustrated with the agreement of both governments, which was not regarded as based on the intention of former comfort women. ¥1 billion offer of Japan for the fund is properly recognized in South Korea as compensation on the war crime.

Japanese government never approves that reasoning. It insists on a notion that all the compensation was legally finished with a bilateral agreement on settlement of problems in 1965. For Japanese government, offered money for the fund is absolutely a support for South Korean government that is making effort of persuading former comfort women.

Japanese government expects removal of a statue of comfort woman in front of Japanese Embassy in Seoul, in accordance with the December agreement. In the situation of firm protest on establishing the fund, however, it is mostly impossible for South Korean government to implement that agreement soon. Some conservatives in Japan argue that Japan should not transfer that ¥1 billion as long as the statue remains. The decision of establishment of the fund might be too early.

Negative Choice for Next President

United States Democratic National Convention officially elected Hillary Rodham Clinton for its candidate in Presidential election this year. Japanese media reported the news with significance in U.S. history to raise first female candidate of one of the major parties. Knowing it well, Clinton appealed the meaning of having her for President. However, whether U.S. will have female or male President has mostly nothing to do with the future of the Japanese. Presidential election was fixed as a negative choice between politically amateur extremist and traditional establishment with little hope for change.

Japanese media reported DNC nomination of Clinton with her message from New York City that she made the biggest crack in the glass ceiling. “If some girls wakes up late and are watching TV, let me say, I might be the next President, and next, it’s you,” told Clinton, based on articles of Japanese newspaper. Her message is still staying on how precious for U.S. to have female President.

Strategy of Clinton campaign is focused on distinguishing her from Republican nominee, Donald Trump. Former Secretary of State in Bill Clinton administration, Madeline Albright, another prominent American figures of woman promotion, dismissed Trump as dictator paralleled with Saddam Hussein of Iraq or Kim Jong-un in North Korea.

Supposedly embracing hope for being the first first gentleman, Bill Clinton praised his wife as the best change-maker. But, it is not clear how she will change the course that Barack Obama has been forwarding. With necessity for offsetting protectionist argument of Trump, Clinton turned down her support for Trans-Pacific Partnership. If United States turned its back to it, Japan will be isolated in that new free-trade framework, which is highly unpopular in Japan.

One positive sign for Japan is preference to stronger alliance. “We believe that we are stronger when we work with our partners and allies, rather than try to go it alone,” described Democratic platform resolved in the convention. In the situation of unilateral advance of China to Pacific Ocean, strong message for alliance sounded comfortable for the Japanese.

Clinton’s victory in this fall is not guaranteed at all, anyway. Not only in Republican Party, Clinton has another rivals in Democrats, supporters for Bernie Sanders. While Sanders endorsed Clinton as the best choice for next President in the convention, the supporters still demanded his presidency with tears from arena. It will be crucial for Clinton to send stronger message for changing dominance of the establishments in politics and economy than Trump has been doing.

“Handicapped Should Die”

The man targeted heavily handicapped people sleeping in the facility. Breaking into a residential mental healthcare facility in Sagamihara, Kanagawa, before dawn of Tuesday, Satoshi Uematsu, 26, killed 19 people on the bed stabbing with knives and injured other 26. He was arrested by police after appearing to police office. The man believed that he did that for human being.

Having worked in the facility named Yamayuri-en for years, Uematsu knew well about how those handicapped residents were cared. He sneaked into it 2:45 a.m., tied the wrists of the workers in their night shift not let them call outside for help, and then stabbed disabled people on their neck one after another. Uematsu told police that he targeted ones who were not able to have communication.

According to reports, Uematsu began to talk to his co-workers that heavily handicapped people’s lives were meaningless in February. After consultation with police, the facility reported Sagamihara city office about strangeness of him. The office decided to let him hospitalized with mental disease caused by hemp. The hospital released him few weeks later, diagnosing him harmless.

One thing making this case the strangest is that Uematsu wrote a letter to the Speaker of House of Representatives to declare the crime. “I can kill 470 handicapped people. Knowing it as insane, however, I can’t help stand for Japan and the world, when I recall tired face of the parents or sober eyes of the workers,” wrote him. He explained that his aim was bringing a situation in which a heavily handicapped person could be choose euthanasia with consent of guardian, when he or she was difficult in living social life.

Uematsu believed his idea would save the world. “While war will produce many hates with killing hopeful people, killing disabled people can reduce unhappiness to the smallest level,” wrote him. There was a clear discrimination on the disabled in his mind. Also in the letter, he revealed his plan of midnight assault in Yamayuri-en, tying the workers down using plastic wristbands and turning in police.

There is a tendency in Japanese society that a person distinguishes from others. Sharp division between rich and poor, big corporation and small business, powerful and powerless, able and disable or urban and local could cause Uematsu’s idea to eliminate disabled people. He had no idea about real world, where any disabled people were loved ones or diversity would make it stronger. Politics has been incompetent on the problem. “I send condolence from my heart” was the message of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on this terrorism against current Japanese society.

Politics over Territory in ASEAN

Foreign Ministers of Association of Southeast Asian Nations expressed serious concern on recent advance of China to South China Sea in their joint statement of the meeting held in Vientiane, Laos, on Monday. However, the statement did not refer to the conclusion of Hague Court of Arbitration, which found Chinese territorial claim on South China Sea baseless. It is too early to call the winner.

ASEAN became a stage of international politics in Asian region. Receiving firm protest against China from parties concerned, namely Philippine or Vietnam, the foreign ministers concluded to deliver a message to China. “We remain seriously concerned over recent and ongoing developments and took note of the concerns expressed by some Ministers on the land reclamations and escalation of activities in the area, which have eroded trust and confidence, increased tensions and may undermine peace, security and stability in the region,” wrote them in the joint statement.

Hague Court of Arbitration concluded that Chinese development on the region was violating United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea earlier this month. The statement of ASEAN foreign ministers did not directly referred to it, as China wanted it to be. “We further reaffirmed the need to enhance mutual trust and confidence, exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities and avoid actions that may further complicate the situation, and pursue peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” the statement only said.

As far as seeing whole structure of the statement, ASEAN looked to be negative on Chinese advance. The statement included independent paragraph on the issue of South China Sea. It noted importance of freedom of navigation and over-flight, indicating frustration of ASEAN on the unilateral behavior of China, bringing confusion in the region.

But, no mention on the decision of Hague Court meant that ASEAN released violator of international law to the field. “A page was turned after the deeply flawed ruling and it is the time to lower the temperature in the dispute,” told Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi. After aggressive lobbying to ASEAN nations including Cambodia, Laos, Brunei or Thai, China diluted accusation on Chinese development.

Having been making effort to include “Hague” in the statement, Japan was disappointed to the conclusion of ASEAN. Although Japanese Foreign Minister, Fumio Kishida, required Wang to accept decision of Hague Court in bilateral meeting in Vientiane, Wan simply rejected it. Both parties are focusing on next stage, ASEAN Regional Forum later this week.

Cooperation for Brexit Shock

The Group of 20 reconfirmed their determination to overcome great and immediate impact of Britain’s exit from European Union in its meeting of finance ministers and governors of central bank held in Chengdu, China on Sunday. The host nation successfully avoided being the target of the Western nations on its unilateral domination in South China Sea. One thing clear, however, is that this framework of world biggest economies no longer a viable organization to remove crucially negative elements of world economy.

Japanese newspapers reported that G20 delivered a joint statement which indicated growing uncertainty brought by United Kingdom’s decision of leaving European Union in June. International monetary market showed vulnerability with Brexit soon after the referendum was concluded. Uneasiness on decline of international trade or investment covers world economy.

G20 required U.K. maintaining moderate relationship with European community, expecting “appearance to be a close partner of European Union in the future,” as interpreted by Japanese media. The communiqué realized that the world economy is actively preparing for dealing with potential impacts, stemming from British referendum, on economy or monetary system.

On situation of the world economy, G20 financial ministers and central bankers shared less positive recognition than in previous meeting in April, telling “recovery continuing is still lower than preferable level and downward risk is remaining.” They reconfirmed their determination to mobilize all policy tools for monetary reform, fiscal policy or structural reform.

Host nation, China, has been afraid of being accused its unilateral advance in South China Sea after Hague Court of Arbitration found it baseless. There is no news of China being grilled on the issue so far. Newspapers rather reported sharp rift in Association of Southeast Asian Nations shown in its foreign ministers meeting held in Vientiane, Laos, started on Sunday.

Instead, G20 indicated China as causing distortion in international market with excessively low price of steel. It is broadly recognized that excessive production of steel in China has been supported by governmental subsidy. G20 confirmed that issue to be settled as international problem. The ministers and bankers required China to participate in related meeting of Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development in September.

The group also demanded avoiding competition for currency evaluation. Japan is categorized in the players of it. Japanese Financial Minister, Taro Aso, told reporters that a weaker Chinese yuan was not good for Chinese economy, pretending Japan to be out of focus.

Medical Deregulation on Death

This can be a small deregulation in a country that bureaucrats are strictly controlling how ordinary people die. Mainichi Shimbun reported a governmental decision that medical doctor would be able to issue death certificate without direct diagnosis on patient. While it is for the cases in isolated small islands, the government is going to add strict conditions in order to avoid crime.

Article 20 of Medical Practitioners Law determines that a medical doctor must not issue death certificate without direct diagnosis after the death of patient, except the case of previous diagnosis within 24 hours. If a patient dies in her/his house or nursery facility without the doctor in charge, police will intervene in the case, regarding it as strange death.

Family of dead patient cannot bury her/him without death certificate. In isolated island, for example, such family has to keep the corpse for a certain period of time or send it to somewhere medical doctor is. It is harming human dignity to some extent.

Japan Nurse Association has been demanded deregulation of condition for issuing death certificate, followed by Deregulation Reform Convention that required Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. Not only in isolated island, the request assumed some cases in big cities where a few doctor was working. In the education for nurse, there is no course for determining cause of death or medical jurisprudence. It will be necessary for nursing school to have new curriculums, anyway.

The government set five conditions for mitigation: 1) the death is coming soon, 2) doctor and nurse keep close communication and there is consent of patient or family, 3) direct and immediate death diagnosis by doctor is difficult, 4) nurse with knowledge of medical jurisprudence can immediately report necessary information to doctor, and 5) doctor can realize facts of death or absence of criminal incident through information communication technology. While the doctor can confirm three phenomena of death, stop of heart, no respiration and dilated pupils, proving no incident of crime is not easy.

Total amount of deaths in Japan, 1.27 millions in 2014, is increasing up to 1.7 millions in 2040. Namely, there is a growing number of home deaths in Japan. Not only scarcity of doctors, insufficiency in home medical care affects. Even in a hospital that has 24-hour home medical care system, some patients had to use ambulance to have emergency medical treatment. To deal with those home deaths, deregulation of death certificate is indispensable for preserving human rights to die in a way anyone likes.

Pokemonomics

It was something like flash mob of Pikachu or other Pocket Monsters in Tokyo. Following United States, Nintendo started distribution of the software of Pokemon Go on Friday. Pokemon freaks went out to the streets and search for virtual monsters in everywhere in the cities or towns. That new computer game created business incentives in broad area.

Pockemon Go is a game application for smart phone, in which the participant catches Pokemons in public space, using global placement system. A game soft creator in United States, Niantic, formerly descendent from Google, developed the game with cooperation from Nintendo. When the soft was distributed in U.S. and Europe earlier this month, the number of its users in a day recorded unprecedented 21 millions. In Japan, Pokemon Go topped the ranking of downloading of free application.

There appeared immediate Pokemon hunters in Japanese cities. After downloading the soft, map appears on the screen of smart phone, which moves along its owners walking direction. The user can obtain items for catching Pokemons at Pokestops on the map. When a Pokemon appears on actual landscape in the screen, the user will follow and catch it. Someone may ignore red traffic light, so devoted in the game.

Pokemon Go consumes battery so fast that electric appliance shops started bargain of portable electric charger for smart phone. Japan McDonald’s made its 2900 shops in Japan the stations where Pokemon Go users could get catching items. Some internet providers offer free data communication for the game. Japanese media called those new businesses “Pokemonomics.”

The stock price of Nintendo rose up to ¥29,920 in Tokyo Market on Friday, 6.9% higher than the previous day. The total amount of exchange of Nintendo stock shared 30% of all for the day. Stock of McDonald’s Holdings hiked by 4.2 %, marking as high as ¥3,620. “It is welcomed that Japanese game contents make a break in overseas. I expect this boom leads to further economic growth and positive consumption,” told President of Japan Business Federation, Sadayuki Sakakibara.

It stimulated Japanese nationalism. “We are going to support this kind of promotion which delivers Japan-made game contents,” told Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga. He did not forget to warn Pokemon freaks not to sneak into dangerous places in search of Pokemons. Politics always tries to take advantage of economic successes for enhancing agenda.

Discussion or Lawsuit

Government of Japan filed a new lawsuit to Naha Branch of Fukuoka High Court on Friday, claiming reconfirmation of illegality of local government of Okinawa that rejected obeying governmental order to accept construction of United States Marine Air Base in Henoko, Okinawa. While Okinawa requested further discussion with national government, Shinzo Abe administration unilaterally sought a legal showdown on highly complicated issue of relocation of Futenma Marine Air Base. Sharp dispute was restarted with intolerance of Tokyo.

The two governments agreed on a deal in which they continue discussion and turned their lawsuits accusing each other down. The agreement included a notice that both parties would not disturb due process, if their discussion would be resulted in unfinished. Each party was supposed to abide by the conclusion Supreme Court would draw.

Okinawa announced that it would keep the discussion table without filing lawsuit, when a national authority of dealing dispute between local and national government last month avoided making decision on national order of correction on local decision in Okinawa. Okinawa needed a discussion without any prerequisite condition on relocation of Futenma.

Doubtful national government regarded it as buying time. There is a firm belief in national government that Tokyo will not be defeated in the lawsuit and the victory can be achieved next February with no specific reason. In the Policy Meeting on Okinawa, Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, reconfirmed to Governor Takeshi Onaga that Okinawa would have to abide by the decision Supreme Court would make. Onaga regretted unilateral attitude of national government.

Tokyo insists on resuming construction by next spring. If the relocation plan is delayed further, it is possible that next administration of United States will be skeptical on current plan. Bureaucrats in Tokyo thought that U.S. Government would be confident on Japan’s determination on the issue, if the construction process is resumed even in a coercive way.

Asahi Shimbun introduced three opinions on the issue on Friday. Former Minister of Defense, Satoshi Morimoto, insisted on Henoko relocation plan to be the only option for deterrence in Southwest of Japan. The other two proposed alternative way. Professor of Okinawa International University, Manabu Sato, argued that U.S. Marine could work, even stationed in North America. Senior Fellow of Brookings Institute, Michael O’Hanlon, proposed distribution of Marines in Okinawa to some other places in Japan.

GOP Goes Extremism

It must be the oddest news of the year, as well as Brexit. The Grand Old Party of America picked a political novice with extremist policies for its presidential candidate in the National Convention on Tuesday. Trying to understand what the choice did mean, Japanese media reported the background of raising Donald Trump. As shown in other nations, including Japan, America looks like shrinking.

At the beginning of GOP race, Trump was not supposed to be surviving the race. In his press conference for running in June last year, Trump accused immigrants from Mexico, saying “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists,” and promised to build great wall on southern border. Trump kept on saying that Mexican immigrants took jobs of America people.

Critics in politics have been negative on his victory, labeling Trump’s presidential bid as a bad joke. Major newspapers rejected him and campaigned their readers not to vote for him. However, Trump’s strategy of extreme accusation against foreigners and agitation for American nationalism was accepted namely by low-income white Americans. Denial of status quo and simple logic of his message had certain power for the people frustrated with current economic situation or traditional Washington politics.

For the people living in economically devastated region like Rust Belt, Trump inflamed with blaming on inability of political leaders. Accusing major corporations and politicians living on the donation from them, Trump reiterated his intention to change the course of negotiation over international free trade agreements. It is a great contradiction that an establishment in business like Trump is supported by the people who hate political “establishments.”

The message Barack Obama delivered eight years ago was “There is no white America or Black America. There is no red America or blue America. There is only United States of America.” Now, the message from GOP is “There is no Mexican America or Islamic America. There is only United States of America.” This is new isolationism of United States.

This is the true aspect of United States in quagmire of war on terrorism, in competition with emerging economy like China or in skepticism on democracy. False ambition of bringing the light of American version of freedom and democracy to every corner of the world or unsophisticated intervention in Islamic world in Middle East looks taking its toll in the presidential race this year.

Doping Technology Revealed

Newspapers reported the recommendation of World Anti-Doping Agency that Russia should be excluded from Rio de Janeiro Olympic this summer for the top story on front page on Tuesday. Media was interested in how Russian government involved in a series of the unsportsmanlike conducts and its technology of deceiving doping test. The sports festival of peaceful world is again in the crisis of its devaluation.

The investigation team of WADA found that the organization for examination in Moscow had realized 577 cases of Russian athletes who were “positive” on doping tests. They included 139 cases in track and field, 117 in weight lifting and other sports including paralympic games. The result was reported to Ministry of Sports and 312 cases were registered to be “negative,” under the order of high-ranked officers of the Ministry.

The method of deceiving doping test was too interesting for Japanese media to ignore. In Sochi Olympic 2014, Russian government established “huge machine” of escaping doping test. Eminent Russian athletes stopped using drug for a certain period of time before Olympic games for extracting pure urine, which was kept in a refrigerator of Russian Federal Security Service, or FSB.

During Sochi Olympic, agents of FSB in the secret waiting room received specimen of Russian athletes through “rat’s hole” on the wall of doping examination room at night. Then the agent run to the next building where pure urine is prepared and exchange the content of the bottle. It is still a mystery how Russian government invented the technology for opening the bottle with high security.

The investigation also found new technology of drug insensitive to doping test. The “cocktail” they invented was composite of three kinds of steroid diluted in a grass of whisky, which could be ingested through mucous membrane of mouth. Athletes can use it like Listerine.

Olympic Committee of United States required WADA or International Olympic Committee for appropriate major penalty on major violation. Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized WADA as introducing politics in Olympic. It looks like a usual blaming game in international politics.

Behind that, there is a structural decline of the value or dignity of Olympic. When the Western nations boycotted Moscow Olympic 1980, protesting Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan, it was only Los Angeles that ran for 1984 Olympic. Olympic was no longer an event worth pouring huge money into. Then, IOC change the course to making Olympic a great commercial opportunity, taking great amount of money for TV broadcasting and commercial sponsoring. That caused Olympic being showcase of national prestige, in compensation with governmental investment. It is focused whether the penalty against doping can be an opportunity for Olympic to return back to a genuine sports event.

Proud of Foreign Architecture

There are some that typically stirs Japanese nationalism up. Medals in Olympic games or Academy Awards in Hollywood should be included in them. Now, an old building in Tokyo designed by a French Architect, Le Corbusier, were chosen as new World Cultural Heritage of United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization. Japanese media proudly reported it.

UNESCO picked seventeen buildings designed by Corbusier in such countries as France, Switzerland, Germany or India. World Heritage Committee of UNESCO recognized them as masterpieces for spreading new architectural concept to the world and fundamentally affected to modern architectural movement in twentieth century. Main Building of National Museum of Western Art in Ueno National Park, Tokyo, was one of the awarded architecture.

NMWA was constructed in 1959 for the collection of Japanese businessman, Kojiro Matsukata, which was donated by France after World War II. That is the only building in Japan designed by Corbusier. The building is known as spiral staircase inside or its ground floor made as pilotis with a number of pillars. When it requires more places for display, it will be lead to outer space, which concept is interpreted as endlessly growing museum.

This is the third attempt for those seventeen buildings to be World Heritage, following 2009 and 2011. With leadership of France, host countries made joint project for recommending Corbusier architect. They stressed his contribution to modern architecture this time. It became the first recipient that bridged multiple continents in the world.

Corbusier visited Japan only one time in 1955 to see the site for the museum. Three disciples in Japan actually worked for construction, based on architectural concept of Corbusier. Although he had not so famous to the public in Japan, Corbusier was introduced as one of the three greatest architects in the world with Frank Lloyd Wright from United States and Ludwig Mies van del Rohe from Germany. Japanese people also love world three greatest something.

In the selection process, UNESCO required NMWA to introduce natural sunlight in the building and recovering original scene of front garden to emphasize architectural concept of Corbusier. Rooftop garden is not open to the visitors. It is a great homework for Japanese experts to regain the value of the world famous architect.

Trilateral Gubernatorial Race

Tokyo gubernatorial race looks like close competition among three candidates. Recent poll operated by some media organizations found that a female lawmaker was leading the race, followed by a journalist supported by major opposite parties. A bureaucrat supported by the leading parties was lagging behind a little. Four out of ten have still not determined whom to vote for.

Former Minister of Defense, Yuriko Koike, stepped forward to run for next Governor of Tokyo without any official support from major parties, even though she was affiliated to leading Liberal Democratic Party. With firm support from women in the age of fifties or younger, Koike enjoys the position as top runner in the poll of Mainichi Shimbun. In spite of another candidate with official support from LDP, Koike secures about 40% of approval from LDP supporters. This is typically divided race for LDP.

Anti-Abe journalist, Shuntaro Torigoe, is mainly supported by old voters in the age of sixties or older. Six out of ten supporters for Democratic Party or Japan Communist Party has decided to vote for Torigoe, while he also receive firm support from Social Democratic Party and People’s Life Party.

Former officer in Ministry of Construction, also experienced Governor of Iwate or Minister for Internal Affairs, Hiroya Masuda, is deadly chasing the other two. While he received official support from LDP and Komeito, Masuda has only 30% of support from LDP supporters. Although most voters who require administrative experience to next governor support Masuda, Koike mainly enjoys support from voters who want political experience. In terms of personality, Torigoe leave the other two behind.

The poll revealed that the voters in Tokyo were most interested in the policy for education or raising kids. Eight thousands of mothers are waiting for empty slot of child nursery school. Koike was the most popular candidate for those who focused on that policy. Administrative reform of Tokyo government was the third policy, following medical treatment, on which Torigoe was mostly expected to tackle. As a former bureaucrat, Masuda is not good on this policy.

One thing clear was that party affiliation would not affect the race. Although Komeito gives firm support to Masuda, official support of LDP for him does not guarantee his victory. As disappointed with consecutive scandals of former governors, the voters are tired of established politics exercised underground. Clean and transparent politics must be what they want the most.

Turkish Coup Shocked

Friday night coup in Turkey was reported in Japan as resulted in failure. Japanese government immediately issued a statement that supported current regime led by President Recep Erdogan. Volatile political situation represented by that sudden resistance of Turkish military was argued to affect the fight against Islamic State, stationed in its neighbor countries, mainly Syria.

The coup reportedly caused 265 deaths, including 104 rebels and 161 innocent civilians. Turkish governmental authority took 2,839 officers and their men custody. It was a major blow on Erdogan administration, which had been grabbing military organization. Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the coup was plotted by a minor group in the military. Prime Minister Binaly Yildirim told that the coup left a blot on Turkish democracy and severe penalty would be on them.

As always, Japanese government was firstly focused on reconfirming no Japanese was involved in the case. Then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe issued a comment that democracy in Turkey should be respected and expected early restoration of order and stability. There are 2,000 Japanese citizens in Turkey. After coming back from Mongol, where Asia-Europe Meeting was held, Abe analyzed information from Turkey in Prime Minister’s Official Residence.

Basic element behind the coup was despotic governance of President Erdogan. But, the coup could not achieve broad support of Turkish public. Although Turkish Army had been popular as protector for secular citizens, Erdogan laid firm civilian control, weakening influential power of the Army. The coup this time revealed internal insecurity of Turkey and Ergogan administration will face criticism on its inability of domestic control.

Instability in Turkey may affect anti-terrorism policy in Middle East. There occurred major terrorism in Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul late last month. With the blast plotted by Islamic State, 40 people were killed. The inability against containing terrorism may have caused internal rebel for attracting public sentiment against current administration.

Turkey is known as one of the emerging economies in the world. Consecutive terrorism may harm positive investment or tourism in Turkey. Japanese corporations would be more careful in business in the country, which has been positive partner of Japanese economy. Terrorism and internal insecurity slow down economic growth of Turkey, and possibly other countries.

Sino-Japan Sober Meeting

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had a meeting with Chinese Premier, Li Keqiang, in Ulaanbaatar, Mongol, taking opportunity of Asia-Europe Leaders Meeting. While Abe requested peaceful solution on territorial issue in South China Sea, which Permanent Court of Arbitration in Hague denied Chinese sovereignty on Spratly Islands, Li rejected Japanese “intervention” on it. China is still running on the road of isolation.

According to briefing of Japanese government, Abe told Li that Japan had been stressing the importance to settle the conflict peacefully under rule of law. Li replied to Abe not to fan or intervene in the issue. “The standpoint of China is completely meeting international law. Not being a party directly concerned, Japan should refrain from intervening to it,” said Li, according to Chinese officials.

The meeting of both leaders was taken place for the first time since last November. In the 30-minute meeting, Abe also expressed his concern on the entrance of Chinese military vessels in contiguous zone of Senkaku Islands in East China Sea. Li answered Abe that both governments needed to enhance communication through dialogue and meeting to avoid wrong decision and required sharing “high-level responsibility” for improvement of their bilateral relation.

China has been accusing Japan having manipulated the decision of Hague Court and called the Minister in Japanese Embassy in Beijing to protest. By attributing the decision to Japan, Chinese government is justifying its unilateral and excessive development in South China Sea mainly to its own people. “Japan responded to the decision of Hague Court more emotionally than other neighbor countries,” said Chinese Spokesman Lu Kang.

However, it is China that has been highly nervous on the decision even before the sentence was delivered. For Chinese government, Group of 20 meeting in Hangzhou, China, which President Xi Jinping will preside, will be a nightmare, if it is covered with disputes over South China Sea. So, Abe and Li also reconfirmed mutual cooperation for G20 meeting, mainly in handling international economy that became volatile after United Kingdom’s decision of leaving European Union.

They also agreed on enhanced cooperation over anti-terrorism measures. “Standing on the basis of strategic reciprocal relationship, I will focus on cooperation and exchange,” said Abe. Li replied with his determination not to invite monetary crisis under cooperation between China and Japan. Not with compromise over the maritime interest, China seeks economic profit with stabilized international monetary system.

Tokyo Election Starts

Following unprecedented scandal of the governor using public money for personal purposes, Tokyo Gubernatorial Election was officially announced on Thursday. Two candidates from the leading parties and an integrated candidate of the opposite parties ran for the seat. The election for the leader of capital city became proxy war of national politics.

To Tokyo Board of Election, 21 people registered as candidates. But, three of them can actually be recognized as viable candidates: former Minister of Defense, Yuriko Koike, former Minister of Internal Affairs, Hiroya Masuda, and a journalist, Shuntaro Torigoe.

The first person who stepped forward was Koike. After stepping down of former Governor Yoichi Masuzoe, Koike had been labeled as one of the top candidate from Liberal Democratic Party. But, its Tokyo branch, topped by Minister of Economic Revitalization, Nobuteru Ishihara, was reluctant to support her with some reasons. Frustrated with that ambiguous attitude of LDP, Koike made a preemptive measure of raising hand for the Governor, demanding official support from the party.

The ideal candidate for LDP and its partner Komeito was Masuda. Receiving official support from those two parties, Masuda announced his intention for running while Koike was waiting for recommendation from LDP. Known as a brilliant Governor for Iwate Prefecture, Masuda appeals his rich administrative experience and stable handling of Tokyo government.

Torigoe was the last one, who announced his candidacy two days before. Democratic Party, Japan Communist Party, Social Democratic Party and Party for People’s Life immediately supported him. Democratic Party once considered raising him in the previous election. Achieving certain success of integrated campaign, those four parties support Torigoe to protest current administration. Torigoe upholds “stopping reckless drive of Shinzo Abe administration” as his cause for running.

There are important issues in Tokyo. Burden for constructions for 2020 Tokyo Olympic, increasing nurseries, and preparation for possible great earthquake are some of them. Koike upholds fundamental reform of decision-making system of Tokyo government. Masuda listed kids raising, care for aged people and disaster as three major anxieties to be tackled with. Torigoe appeals his ability to build good city for living, working and environment.

Having said that, the basic structure of the election is struggle between divided leading party and integrated opposite parties. As seen in current national election, the leading party has nearly two-third majority in the public. Tokyo gubernatorial election will be a close race by three powers.

Wish for Abdication

A breaking news of Japanese Emperor’s wish for abdication swept the country. According to the officials in Japanese government, Emperor Akihito has been telling his families or officers that he wanted to abdicate, if he would have to reduce his official roles caused by his aging. It would be necessary for the government to consider reviewing Imperial Household Law, which does not have a rule for abdication.

Akihito, 82, is on the throne of 125^th Emperor of Japan since 1989. After he had surgery for prostate cancer in 2003, Akihito suffered from heart disease and had by-passed coronary artery around heart in 2012. Although Imperial Household Agency reduced his official appearance to events, Akihito kept on working as the symbol of Japan, visiting devastated area in Tohoku region, attending memorial ceremony in Palau, or meeting foreign guests in the Palace.

The reports explained that the Emperor did not want to stay in his throne with reducing official events. Although Constitution of Japan allows establishing Regency, Akihito still did not want to continue his throne with his deputy. “One who can finish the duty as symbol of Japan, which is determined in the Constitution should be on the throne,” Akihito has been saying to his staffs for years.

To fulfill Akihito’s wish, Japanese government has to change Imperial House Law or establish special law for it. A secret team topped by Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary has been discussing the legislation. “The Imperial Throne shall be succeeded to by a male offspring in the male line belonging to the Imperial Lineage,” says Article 1 of the Law. And Article 4 determines that “Upon the demise of the Emperor, the Imperial Heir shall immediately accede to the Throne.”

Although it is not rare in the history of Japanese Emperor, the Imperial family has not experienced abdication for these 200 years. It is a common notion that the Throne will be succeeded only when the Emperor deceases. The officials argue that Imperial Household Law has to be amended for the abdication. In the viewpoint of not reflecting political intention of the Emperor under constitutionalism, there is another argument that temporary law for this case is needed.

The officials of Imperial Household Agency denied the report of Abdication. But, it is reasonable for an old man to pave the way for his successors after his death. In the pressure of increasing role as the symbol of Japan, in the great tragedy of natural disaster or dispute over international relations, Akihito may have thought the Throne should be stable and active. It must be the greatest challenge on Japanese democracy based on monarchism.