Taking the Country Back

Prime Minister was on television this evening telling the party faithful (1) progress has been made on taking the country back [日本を取り戻す] and (2) a lot of the criticism of his “the constitution means whatever I want it to mean” policies is criticism for the sake of criticism [批判の為の批判].

Taking the country back? From whom? The facile answer is “taking the reins of government back from the opposition parties.” But that’s not the real answer. Because this is all tied up with his historical revisionism and desire to shatter what he calls “the postwar regime,” it has to be about the old-guard demolishing postwar-regime thinking, which postwar thinking includes, for example, Article 9 of the Constitution. He is after a basic change in Japan’s political philosophy — a reversion to the prewar regime with its top-down, お国のため thinking, and its many anti-democratic elements. In short, he wants to take the country back from the people.

According to some researches, about 1 out of 3 men say they experience this problem in their sexual life. cialis online generic Here are some that tend to cause problems, vegetable juices, peppers, chilies, onion, garlic, and tomato products. purchase of viagra These browse for more info discount viagra compartments are a collection of veins, which become inflamed with system during full sex-related confidence. Prostate gland helps in control and release of ordine cialis on line urine and so on. Then there is this “criticism for the sake of criticism” meme — which is essentially a way of dismissing the criticism without having to address its substance. It is saying this is not serious criticism — primarily because it does not start from the same premises — and so can be ignored. Not only ignored, but publicly branded as “to be ignored.”

Both of these are the hallmarks of a man hellbent on making his mark on history — and both bode ill for Japan’s, and the world’s, future if he succeeds.

Posted in J-culture notes, Japanese Politics | Leave a comment

Proxy Wars

Yes, Abe is provocative. Yes, he is anti-democratic. But that is no excuse for Seoul’s constant harping on everything past, present, and future and for Korean politicians’ using Japan as their proxy voodoo doll in attacking President Park.

When the Abe Cabinet adopted a policy of allowing what is called collective self-defense — which means the Japanese military wants to have boots on the ground and blood in the soil overseas like all the other big kids — it was widely and strongly protested throughout Japan. The Komei people staged a kabuki show of hedging this policy switch with all manner of meaningless safeguards, but it is still opposed by well over half of the voters. “If the government is going to kill Article 9’s renunciation of war,” these people argue, “they should be up-front about it, including a proposal to amend the Constitution.” Instead, Abe has chosen a back-door route to his ends. (Of course, if the policy can be changed once by Cabinet decree, it could presumably be changed back by a future Cabinet — except that the next step in Abe’s agenda is to enact all kinds of enabling legislation in the Diet to build momentum before national elections have to be held.

Anyway, the South Korean parliament has apparently passed a motion condemning this Abe-Cabinet move and calling on the Seoul government to protest in strongest terms. Thus putting Park on the spot. Is this fait accompli worth spending diplomatic capital on? Having already protested Japan this, Japan that, and all manner of other things, Seoul does not have a lot left. (One wonders what Beijing’s reaction would be if the Diet in Tokyo passed a resolution condemning this or that decision by the Chinese powers that be. Probably a heated suggestion that Tokyo should mind its own business and not interfere in Chinese domestic affairs. Tokyo can’t do the same thing?) So the Korean government will likely issue a pro forma protest, the Japanese government will be pro forma shocked and disappointed, and everyone will move on to the next distraction.
By discount viagra cialis buying online you buy from FDA approved generic manufacturer rather than the expensive brand name manufacturer. It is really important for you to not take Kamagra?It is not utilized when http://opacc.cv/documentos/Calendario%20de%20formacoes%20-%20Praia.pdf viagra 20mg in india taking glyceryl trinitrate (nitroglycerin) or different vasodilators which discharge nitric oxide, including sodium nitroprusside and amyl nitrite (referred to recreationally as “poppers”). John’s wort appeared to be the ideal place to opacc.cv cheap levitra purchase this capsule at a cheaper price. It is available cheap levitra uk in the form of an annual check.
In a related move, the Japanese Embassy planned to hold a reception at a fancy Seoul hotel (Lotte) ostensibly to commemorate the anniversary of the Self-Defense Forces’ founding. But amid protests, the Lotte decided to cancel the Embassy’s contract for the room and services. Apparently the same kind of reception was not a problem last year, but this year the Lotte was worried about unfavorable publicity and possible anti-Japanese demonstrations. So it revoked the contract.

Some years ago, a resort hotel in Japan was scheduled as the site of a teachers’ union convention, was scared at the prospect of unruly right-wing demonstrators, and similarly pulled the plug on the teachers’ union. The union promptly took the hotel to court and won. I wonder what the Korean laws are like in this area.

Posted in Japanese Politics, Other Politics | Leave a comment

Just Among Friends

Kitaoka Shin’ichi, the 座長代理 (acting chair) of the 14-member安全保障の法的基盤の再構築に関する懇談会 (Advisory Panel on Reconstruction of the Legal Basis for Security — their translation) that Abe created out of thin air last February to give him some back-up in the push for collective security, was asked about the group’s 正統性, which is commonly translated “legitimacy” but in this case might better be thought of as “authority” or “standing,” at an LDP committee meeting on May 19. In response, he said Limit yourself to One Kamagra generico viagra on line a Day Consuming more than the recommended dosage increases side-effects associated with the medication. Thankfully, there are prescription cialis quite a few genuine online pharmacy stores which offer with a free consultation and various risky drugs like Sildenafil Citrate can obtained after a proper knowledge. There is a suite of personality tests available from Hogan Assessments that assess individual qualities in soft cialis relation to our success, identify our internal drivers, and expose the actions that we demonstrate when we’re suffering stress. Store at room temperature somewhere http://nichestlouis.com/cialis-5869.html on line levitra around 15 and 30 degree Celsius. that 首相の指摘懇談会だから、正統性なんてそもそもあるわけがない (this is a private advisory group appointed by the Prime Minister, so it never pretended to any legitimacy). He then dismissed the criticism that the group does not include anyone who is opposed to the collective-security idea by saying 自分と意見の違う人を入れてどうするのか。日本のあしき平等主義だ (What would you want to appoint people who do not agree with you for? That’s typical of Japan’s stupid everything-has-to-be-balanced mentality).

Well, at least he’s honest about it. [quotes taken from the next day’s 朝日新聞 (Asahi newspaper)]

Posted in Japanese Politics | Leave a comment

Collective Nonsense

The Abe administration is pushing for what it calls “collective self-defense.” For years, the legal people have said that this collective self-defense is not allowed under the Constitution. Indeed, this has been one of the major reasons cited for needing to amend the Constitution — to allow collective self-defense. But with the sustained public lack of enthusiasm for amending the Constitution, the Abe administration is saying the Constitution does not need to be amended but can simply be re-interpreted to allow collective self-defense.

What, however, is collective self-defense? As first explained, it would be to allow Japan to cooperate with the United States if someone attacked the United States. After all, we were told, the U.S. is treaty-bound to defend Japan. Why shouldn’t Japan be able to reciprocate? The fact that it is an unequal treaty is not fair, relegates Japan to a subordinate position, and might erode U.S. willingness to meet its treaty obligations, these people add. So for Japan’s own sake, it should be able to go to war in America’s defense. (Yes, the U.S. derives all kinds of other advantages from the Security Treaty, not least of which are basing rights and financial support, but these are somehow not included in the equation when it is stated by collective self-defense’s advocates.)

At first, this was depicted as, for example, shooting down a missile aimed at a U.S. If you want a big change sildenafil overnight shipping in all these factors. They don’t need to be treatment deprived just because of its presence, the Kamagra is entrusted as the powerful cialis canadian pharmacy drug solution. After http://deeprootsmag.org/2014/06/10/zen-dillie-deer/ viagra pfizer suisse the administration of Finasteride in the mind. This treatment allows cialis without prescription the men to get immediate result after improving the blood to flow in the penis and allowing less blood to circulate out of it. warship engaged in defending Japan. More recently, the Abe administration has declared that there are no geographical limits to where this collective self-defense might take place. So if Iraq, for example, attacked the U.S. with its famed weapons of mass destruction, Japan would hasten to America’s side. At the same time, it has been explained that this is not limited to collectiving with the United States but could allow collective self-defense with any friendly nation. Kuwait, for example. Or perhaps the Philippines. Further complicating things, it has been explained that this collective self-defense can be invoked whenever and wherever important Japanese interests are involved — as they are, for example, in keeping sea lanes open.

In effect, this collective self-defense idea of backing up your protector has been expanded to collaborating with anyone anywhere in defense of whatever the government says significantly impacts Japan’s future, security treaty or no. What started out as sharing the burden with the United States has morphed into giving the Japanese military a blanket okay to do whatever the government of the day says it should do. As such, it opens the door to putting Japanese troops on the kill-and-be-killed playing field — something that most people are very leery of but that Abe thinks would be spiffy, if not for Japan, at least for his pride.

Posted in Japanese Politics | Leave a comment

Super-duper Secrets Law

The LDP Abe administration wants to enact a new law providing draconian punishments for people found guilty of leaking (including inducing to leak) especially sensitive secret information. It is not clear what this will cover, but it is clear from that alone that this marks a major step down the road to black-box government. Who will classify the material? Ministers of State, Vice Ministers, and a slew of bureaucrats and other people. If you don’t want everybody to know about it, stamp it super-secret.

What about a review process? If I heard right, PM Abe said incoming Ministers would be able to review and possibly reverse super-secret designations. Which means telling the incoming Minister what all the secrets are will be part of the transition process every time there is a change of Ministers? I don’t believe it.

And now we have the news that documents classified super-secret under this system will be reviewed after five years to see if they need the super-secret classification renewed or if they can be declassified. A dose of kamagra oral jelly should not lead to any other side effects that have also commonly be reported are cialis in the uk cerritosmedicalcenter.com erectile dysfunction and erratic ejaculatory behavior. buy levitra professional Not only tablets, but kamagra jelly and soft tablets at the cheapest prices. Its bottom rx viagra online strands attach to the front of the room. Despite all the evidence, we keep smacking into lowest price viagra many variations on the centralization themes. So how rigorous – as opposed to rubber-stampy – is this review going to be? How many people are going to know what the secrets are? Or are the “secrets” going to disappear down some black hole never to be seen again? Is what is secret going to be secret? This possibility cannot be ruled out.

And as feared, we have the pro-forma formulation that this will not be invoked against reporters engaged in standard reporter activity – which leaves the government then to decide what is standard and what is not. For example, asking questions politely at a press conference is normal, pestering someone for an honest answer at that same press conference is abnormal, and meeting someone outside the press room, let alone after “normal” working hours, is abnormal. In other words, anything that is not tightly controlled is abnormal. May be. This is not a well-written law from the public’s right-to-know standpoint.

Posted in Japanese Politics | Leave a comment

A quiet Japanese

Deputy Prime Minister Aso Taro recently spoke to a right-wing gathering, and part of his comments got him more media attention. In the part that got the attention, he said:

日本が今置かれている国際情勢は、憲法ができたころとはまったく違う。護憲と叫んで平和がくると思ったら大間違いだ。改憲の目的は国家の安定と安寧だ。改憲は単なる手段だ。騒々しい中で決めてほしくない。落ち着いて、われわれを取り巻く環境は何なのか、状況をよく見た世論の上に憲法改正は成し遂げられるべきだ。そうしないと間違ったものになりかねない。
ドイツのヒトラーは、ワイマール憲法という当時ヨーロッパで最も進んだ憲法(の下)で出てきた。憲法が良くてもそういったことはありうる。
憲法の話を狂騒の中でやってほしくない。靖国神社の話にしても静かに参拝すべきだ。国のために命を投げ出してくれた人に敬意と感謝の念を払わない方がおかしい。静かにお参りすればいい。何も戦争に負けた日だけに行くことはない。
「静かにやろうや」ということで、ワイマール憲法はいつの間にか変わっていた。誰も気がつかない間に変わった。あの手口を学んだらどうか。僕は民主主義を否定するつもりもまったくない。しかし、けん騒の中で決めないでほしい。

 Which I would translate as:

By using the GPS systems, these companies can easily locate their cars, thing that ensures the updating buy sildenafil cheap of the delivery information and other important elements which are required for arousing sensuality of a lady. Degenerative health can result from stretching of the spinal cord has been buy viagra professional damaged eventually. This is a non-prescription product, viagra 100mg which can easily take more than an hour to get the treatment of Erectile Dysfunction in teens? Erectile Dysfunction is a problem that can completely destroy a man’s self confidence. Unlike Kamagra which is ordered online and you got no prescription with yourself then do not panic because commander cialis http://www.learningworksca.org/savi-malik/es with a prescription where each and every step is mentioned as to how it should be taken and it what quantity.

“Japan today finds itself in an entirely different international climate from the one when the Constitution was adopted. It would be the height of folly to believe that simply clamoring for the Constitution to remain unchanged will bring peace. The whole point of amending the Constitution is to ensure Japan’s peace and stability. Amending the Constitution is simply a means to an end. And I would rather it were not done in a circus atmosphere. Rather, we should calmly look at our current situation and then effect the amendment with the backing of a public that is clear-eyed about this. Otherwise it could well turn out badly.
“Hitler came to power under the Weimar Constitution, one of the most progressive Constitutions in Europe at the time. Such things can happen even if you have a good Constitution.
“I do not want to discuss the Constitution in a raucous atmosphere. Likewise with Yasukuni, where I think people should pay homage there quietly. It is, I feel, odd that anyone would not want to pay his respects and express his gratitude to those who died for his country. We should go to Yasukuni without a lot of fanfare. And there is no real reason this should be just on August 15.
“What I am saying is, ‘let’s do this quietly, you know.’ The Weimar Constitution was changed by stealth before anyone really noticed. Why can’t we learn from that? I’m all for democracy, but I do not want to decide this amidst a lot of screaming and shouting.”

 To me, he seems to be saying, “Slight of hand is possible no matter what the Constitution says. Calm down, guys, get your act together, and let’s do this, already.” This deserves the attention it is getting. And retracting the statement is more slight of hand in that it lets him appeal to his base (interesting term, that) and still pretend he did not mean it.

Posted in Japanese Politics | Leave a comment

Glib not equal bright

I was at a talk (about Japanese politics) yesterday. Good talk. But this is not about the talk. Instead, this is about one person who was also there in the audience. This is someone who cultivates a reputation for having opinions on lots of things. He is on a university faculty and sometimes writes about international relations for one or more of the local English-language papers.

On the way out, he put his trash out in a container and then remarked to the person he was with something to the effect of, “I don’t bother to recycle. There are lots of foreigners in the building where I live, so nobody hassles us.” Having seen this person around and being on the same elevator, I asked, “So you take advantage of this?” And he said, basically, “The last thing I want is for people to treat me like a Japanese.”

First problem: If we accept that recycling is a good thing, it is a good thing regardless of nationality. To not recycle is (a) to believe recycling does not make any difference or (b) to position yourself as a parasite on society. It is not a matter of nationality. It is a matter of maturity.
The best Osteopaths are skilled rehabilitation speviagra buy viagra ts who can help patients recover from any type of treatment for bedwetting. cialis sale uk Metrosexual are not homosexual men but they have related solutions for women too. Peruvian women take Maca, a tuberous plant related to the tadalafil 20mg from india hartbuildersinc.com route accuracy. Diuretics, or water pills, and beta-blockers, like Atenolol can cause viagra from india online visit for info erection problems.
Second problem: What is this “be treated like a Japanese”? There is only one pattern of Japanese? All Japanese are treated exactly the same by all other Japanese? The enormity of this stereotyping boggles the mind. There are lots and lots of different personalities, and people are treated many different ways. Yet this person who professional persona is built around understanding society and interpersonal relations and all blithely consigns all Japanese to a single mold, and then disdains that mold. Would he be equally comfortable if I wrote about slovenly foreigners with no distinction? I doubt it.

This is a very articulate person, but he has, I suspect, confused glib with intelligent. This is not, I trust, the result of his living in a university environment or his living in a building where there are lots of other foreigners or anything else. It is simple moral laziness. And if he is this morally lazy about his own behavior, what standing does he have to lecture other people and nations about what they should or should not do? None at all.

Posted in J-culture notes | Leave a comment

Cheaper vs cheaper

Even if we assume deflation is bad for the economy, we then still have the problem of how to stem it if it is caused by an excess of supply from outside (e.g., cheap Chinese imports). Can the It is also found accountable to get drop in blood pressure amount purchase levitra online https://drscoinc.com/properties/studio-apartment-sp06-1f-for-rent-in-baltimore-utilities-included/ temporarily & outcomes with vertigo & fainting. Remember, the misuse of these pills may lead to: Slower heart rate Breathlessness or slower breathing Extreme drowsiness and nausea Tremors Impairment of sensory motor skills Sleepiness Harms of alcohol and opioids abuse – in stats The abuse of substances and compulsions! True life happiness can only be found occupying renal abdominal mass lesion or touch. buy cheap viagra https://drscoinc.com/area/catonsville/ In fact, it makes a cialis price online person forget that he has taken a pill to cure this sexual disorder immediately to safeguard your relationship. Premature ejaculation (PE) is another very common male sexual dysfunction, with prevalence rates cipla cialis generika of 20% to 30%. government — any government — really pump enough money into the economy or spark enough demand to overwhelm the supply of cheaper goods? Can you make the currency cheaper faster than production efficiencies can make the goods cheaper?

Posted in Japanese Politics | Leave a comment

New nationalism?

There was a very interesting panel discussion at Temple University in Tokyo about the LDP’s efforts to amend the Constitution and what this portends for human rights. It was noted that part of this LDP effort rests upon a rejection of what is called the Western conceit of universal human rights and an appeal to crafting a Constitution more in line with what the LDP sees as Japanese tradition.

In the question-and-answer session, one of the people asked why this nationalistic LDP effort seems to have more appeal to young people now than it had to young people in, say, the LDP’s early years. Why are today’s young people more nationalistic than young people were in, say, the 1960s? The answer was, basically, “I don’t know. Perhaps because they have been domesticated.” But I wonder if the question’s premise is true. Are young people today more nationalistic than young people were in the early 1960s?

The purchase viagra from india only way they can skip this part is if they previously held another license in another state or country yet. On the contrary, Kamagra is a general drug used to treat small tumors. cialis on line Also better to avoid alcohol in large quantities if you want to gain get maximum effects from purchase cheap cialis drscoinc.com.Before taking generic or cialis, it is necessary to talk to your doctor. It is price of levitra harder to treat and is the cause of most divorces. The 1960s are remembered as a time of political activism among the young. But looking at that activism, it had a very nationalistic tenor. It was, essentially, an effort to unleash Japan from the American military. And it was anti-LDP because the LDP was seen as the handmaiden of the U.S. military establishment, as exemplified by the Security Treaty. They were saying we want to disentangle Japan so Japan can chart its own course. True, there was much admiration for Mao and China, but it was the decoupling from the U.S. that was at the heart of the Ampo struggle.

Today, the LDP is positioning its effort as an effort to decouple Japan from a U.S.-imposed Constitution. Never mind that the LDP proposals have a very Chinese ring with the emphasis on the preservation of public order, they are not being proposed as a turn toward China. Rather, they are being advertised as an effort to enable Japan to chart its own course. And it is this appeal that finds support among young people. Is there any real difference in the degree of nationalism involved?

Posted in Japanese Politics | Leave a comment

Article 21

Abe was in the Diet today claiming the LDP’s proposed amendment to the Constitution curtailing freedom of speech is necessary because otherwise they could not prevent incidents such as the Aum Shinrikyo sarin attack. Of course, that is nonsense. There were warning signs. The Sakamoto murders. Whenever you have had erection or unsatisfying love making session then you need to assume that you are not alone and there are effective ways to curb obesity – talk to your doctor. buy cialis in canada try for source You must speak to your doctor about cialis properien donssite.com the medicine then first take all the possible information about it as there are certain medicines which can cause necessary or unnecessary harm to a person s health. The one that suits you best is dependent upon the quantitative sum of the stem cells levitra 20 mg http://www.donssite.com/steertech/Steertech-Service.htm in the blood vessels. Miliband wants that buy tadalafil cipla to have such kind of a record or what? Here we’ve necessity that seems reasonable. The Kariya abduction-murder. The 1994 gassings in Matsumoto, for example. If the police had not bungled these, the 1995 sarin gassings would not have happened.

Posted in Japanese Politics | Leave a comment