Japanese Politics

[Magin]

Something I find hysterical, sad, and way too accurate about Japan:

Apparently, a system to receive complaints and red tape problems making your job difficult was set up... and in about nine hours, completely overloaded.

I knew the bureaucracy in Japan was bad, but I didn't realize it was this bad...

[Cosmic Eagle]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

I've heard and read critiques of Suga's stoic and reserved demeanor, a vivid contrast from Abe, but one important concern is that he has no experience in foreign policy.

He'll most probably follow Abe's policy of the Indo-pacific alliance strategy. Admittedly one of Abe's better policies. You can be sure Abe is also still giving orders behind the scenes

Of course kicking out Kono does not bode well for his comptency. Especially right when the military is due for overhaul with their new offensive deterrence posture

[Yu Ominae]

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2...t-members.html

Suga cabinet lineup.

[SeijiSensei]

Abe felt the need to visit the Yasukuni Shrine after a seven-year absence.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-54216632

[Magin]

I heavily suspect he wanted to do it during his time in office, but the international backlash (more specifically, from China and Korea) would be VERY bad.

I guess that now he's just a rank-and-file member, it technically gives him more freedom? I personally think it was too soon, but again, technicalities can come into play.

[Guardian Enzo]

Suga has been very vocal about Yasakuni being fair game for politicians - I’m sure he’ll visit before the election.

[Yu Ominae]

This is happening.

[SeijiSensei]

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A South Korean court on Friday ordered Japan to financially compensate 12 South Korean women forced to work as sex slaves for Japanese troops during World War II, a landmark ruling that’s set to rekindle animosities between the Asian neighbors.

https://apnews.com/article/seoul-wor...9784e191e49464

[kari-no-sugata II]

Hmm, the Japanese sure don't trust their media (see country list on right):


Global problem though...

[Guardian Enzo]

They’re right in Japan’s case, that’s for damn sure.

[Key Board]

How is Japan taking the news of Biden’s inauguration.

I know that Japan has its own Qanon branch, and the usual netouyo suspects that latched on to Trump because he posted mean tweets about China

//

[Yu Ominae]

I did a report on QAnon Japan. I expect them to grow big since they also thrive on domestic issues like politicians who don't get prosecuted for "incidents".

[Guardian Enzo]

Most Japanese people seem to look at Trump with sort of puzzled disbelief, like he's a Martian. Which to them he may as well be.

There's a sizable nationalist crowd here and always has been (Abe is one of them), and some of them have latched onto Trump as a kindred spirit. But most Japanese think he's a nut-job and a distasteful person and are hoping things go back to normal now. In September his approval rating was polled at 25%.

[Magin]

So Japan's biggest issue generally tends to be seeing what China is doing. Apparently, a bunch of Japanese thought that Trump was "Standing up to China"; they think Biden will be Beijing Biden.

I even know some Japanese folks who like Trump because he talked a big game of "Being Tough on China". I think he was being tsundere with China if anything.

[Guardian Enzo]

Context. 25% approval rating here even before his attempted coup. And 11% approval of US COVID response. A few loud nutjobs aside Trump is massively unpopular in Japan.

[Magin]

Fortunately, at least in that case Japan should be VERY different from the US. AKA, the loud nutjobs in the US are the ones getting all the attention and make it seem like there's more of them than there actually are (they're really still a minority).

Japan's general social adherence and conformity means that hopefully those who were supporting Trump will fade into the background instead of the forefront.

[SeijiSensei]

As if having four out of five members of the Japanese public opposed to holding the Olympics this year was not enough, the president of the organizing committee, 83-yo former PM Mori Yashiro has created a new problem with his comments about women.

In an online meeting of the Japanese Olympic Committee board of directors earlier in the week, Mori was reported by the daily newspaper Asahi Shimbun as saying women talk too much in meetings. His comments have created a storm in Japan, where women are grossly under-represented in politics and in board rooms.

Mori’s comment came when he was asked about the presence of few women on the board of the Japanese Olympic Committee.

“If we are going to have more women directors, someone has remarked, then meetings go on for a long time unless we restrict the comments,” he said. “I’m not saying who that is.”

https://apnews.com/article/japan-oly...6d894750b83f14

Just happened to watch this week's Log Horizon episode where similar comments were made about the role of women in politics. Of course, that show takes place in a feudal society, not an advanced industrial democracy like Japan.

[SeijiSensei]

Mori looks to be out. His replacement is likely to be 84-yo Kawabuchi Saburo.Apparently the LDP has a full bench of octogenarians waiting to be called up.

https://apnews.com/article/tokyo-spo...36a8549f9d79a7

[Guardian Enzo]

They've replaced him with someone even worse - a racist, nationalist, misanthrope loathed by many. This is the LDP in a nutshell.

[Magin]

Supposedly, Kawabuchi is no longer in contention as his replacement.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210212_21/