Asia

Articles Politics

Will Japan Become the Britain of Asia?

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76% of Japanese and 66% of Americans believe that Japan does not need to apologize any further for its actions.

Articles Finance Politics Reflections

Japan Reflates

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Amidst all this activity, the position of Japan is absolutely, well, pivotal. From the US point of view, a wealthy, confident and committed ally is a vital asset in what it is likely to be a long drawn out strategic game

Articles Politics

After The Quake – Too Much Love

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Disaster reveals national character in the starkest possible way. Japan’s response to the unprecedented triple blow of earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown has demonstrated both its strengths and weaknesses – to the world and perhaps to the Japanese themselves.

Articles Politics

The Perils of “Kansianism”

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A leadership change in Japan passes almost unnoticed these days, but the ascension of Naoto Kan to the role of prime minister could have a long-lasting impact on the strategic landscape.

Articles Culture

A French Kiss from Japan

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There’s more to Japan’s new first couple than meet the eye. The prime minister’s wife, Miyuki Hatoyama, claims to have befriended Tom Cruise in a previous life when he was, apparently, Japanese. Meanwhile the prime minister himself has been behaving like the re-incarnation of a French intellectual.

Articles Finance

The economics of folly

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Twelve months on from the collapse of Lehman Brothers and much about the event remains mysterious. It was the trigger that caused a deep recession, which began in the US but steadily crept across Europe and Asia, morphing into a global catastrophe worthy of a potboiler novel.

Articles Business Finance

The Rock Star Bears

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A notable phenomenon of this past year of living dangerously in financial markets has been the triumph of the ultra-bears. Deeply pessimistic commentators such as Nourel Roubini who were previously unknown or had only niche followings have been propelled to rock star status.

Articles Business Culture Finance

No Panties Capitalism – Are We Turning Japanese?

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Shabu shabu is a simple but delicious Japanese dish in which transclucently thin slices of beef are dipped into a boiling broth of vegetables and tofu. A few seconds will do; just enough for the meat to turn pinky-grey.

Articles Politics

Thank You, Mr. Abe

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The Abe Administration’s key achievement was to show that Japan hasn’t changed, and neither have its problems.