Japanese political crisis
 

It seems that there is a huge stir-up going on the Japanese Diet.

DPJ's leader and his very close associates are nutjobs.
LDP is lameducked beyond recognition.

What do you guys think? Will the Japanese government ever survive in 2 years? This doesn't look good.

A bit of an exaggerated post don't you think?

Unless you want to enlighten us as to why Japan's government won't survive in 2 years.

I've been following Japanese politics for at least 3 years.

Mostly I don't see any end of the attrition in the Japanese parliament.

And there's the pension crisis, bad economy, some nasty social problems, etc.

Have you seen America lately? I guarantee it makes Japan's situation look like it lost a 5$ bill in the laundry.

As for social problems...don't even get me started.

Japan's political system does have some nasty problems tho.

For the last 50 years it's essentially been a one party democracy. The LDP has never really needed to reinvent itself after a defeat for lack of any serious political competition, and the opposition has been in the wilderness for so long they wouldn't know what to do with government if they won it.

Japanese politics is essentially a family business, with people climbing the ranks on the back of family connections in private and public sectors rather than through any drive, hunger or political ideology. For whatever reason, whether it be political apathy or lack of choice, the Japanese public simply doesn't hold the government accountable for their lack of performance.

The boom years in Japan were driven by a competent private sector practicing neo-mercantilism, overseen by a bureaucracy that kept things running smoothly, probably despite the government. Unfortunately for Japan when the bubble burst, the government didn't know what to do.

The general elections later this year should be interesting. Both major parties are polling dismally, and you have a choice between a party that needs to lose if it has any chance of changing, and a party that few want to vote for.

Yeah I've heard about this. It's not like there's a lack of educated people in Japan either. Is it a cultural hangup?

Yeah, dunno what the problem is. Might simply be a cultural thing i.e. respect for seniority/authority with no ingrained culture of political activism which might stem from the fact that this political system was forced on them after WWII; might be a form of 'learned helplessness' after decades of not expecting anything else... Would love to hear from some Japanese on this.

Wise words indeed.

again sorta not
 

Japan's Property Market: The Lost Quarter Century
Seeking Alpha.Com / Mar 30.2009
Edward Hugh ( macro economist weblogs India Economy Blog, A Fistful of Euros, Global Economy Matters and Demography Matters.)

Despite the fact that Japanese Finance Minister Kaoru Yosano said Friday that February's fall in the so called "core-core" consumer price index doesn't mean Japan is back in deflation, few are ready to accept his judgement. Indeed, if you look at the core-core line in the chart below, it is at least debatable whether the Japanese economy was ever out of it in the first place.

The preoccupying inflation news came on the same day we learnt that retail sales had retreated in February by the biggest margin in seven years, as growing concerns about jobs and wages had an obvious impact on Japanese shopping habits. Retail sales were down 5.8 percent from a year earlier (to 9.98 billion yen) — the sharpest decline since February 2002. The figure marks the sixth straight month that sales have fallen at retail outlets like department stores and supermarkets.

And the reason why prices are falling, and workers are fearful for their jobs? Well just look at the export numbers: Japan’s exports plunged a record 49.4 percent in February as deepening recessions elsewhere hit demand for Japanese products. Shipments to the U.S., which is still Japan’s biggest market, tumbled an unprecedented 58.4 percent from a year earlier, with automobile exports were down a horrific 70.9 percent.

The problem is not really the economic situation it´s more the social problem the japanese country has. Most japanese ppl think suicide is a good way of passing by and the pressure to the teenagers is very big. I mean, I heard of students to learn till late at night even after they had school till 15 o´clock and went to an evening school.... that is something that´s unsecessary in germany nobody would to that because teens have to live their live and have to spend free time with friends doing stuff and having fun and not learing till their brain explodes! So it won´t go on well if they need psychiatric care but don´t attempt to take that because it´s a sign of weakness. Next is the financial crisis does not make the situation any better. But all countrys on earth suffer from this crisis and there are countrys who suffer even more.
All in all you can say Japan is so not the dreamland many ppl here wish it to be but there´s no sense in worsening the situation. Japan may not be perfect but there are countries who are worse (even if you don´t think of 3rd world countries like simbabwe or china/north korea).
Edit: Are you all scared of my answer that nobody does reply to this thread anymore?^^