Regardless of the economic rights and wrongs of the Abe government’s pump-priming, the main political risk from the massive boost in public works spending is the recreation of the political infrastructure of Japan’s ‘construction state’. The revival of this old-style LDP pork-barrelling will see the re-emergence of a number of interrelated political and administrative practices, which will have widespread ramifications throughout the Japanese political system and the economy.
Influence-peddling by LDP politicians seeking money for favours from construction companies will increase, leading to money politics and financial scandals. There will be a return to large-scale bid-rigging ( dango ) by construction companies with the collusion of politicians and government officials. The political power of large, general construction companies ( zenekon ) famous for building economically wasteful projects will be restored. Local construction companies will mobilise in elections as vote-gatherers and money donors for LDP candidates, and petitions for public works projects filed by municipal and industry organisation leaders will put direct pressure on LDP politicians to deliver pork to specific groups and regions.
I think the fact that you wrote “I must point out” rather than “I’m sorry to point out” is irrefutable proof that you are not Canadian. I bet you don’t even have a hockey rink in your back yard.
He’s been big on “modernizing” the JSDF, most notably its deepwater naval and air forces. In all fairness I give him a pass on it only because China has been such a bully when maritime issues with their neighbors.
You don’t need to read those guys to know that he denies most of the war crimes Japan committed in WW2, so, essentially the Japanese equivalent of a holocaust denier. It’s always struck me that, when someone denies an incontrovertible fact about their history like that, it means that they’d be more than happy to do it again, given an opportunity.
To be fair, though, you have a point as well, since my impression of the Nippon Kaigi is largely filtered through Adelstein, and the fact that that was immediately obvious to you without me mentioning it does strongly suggest that he’s extremely biased.
Before addressing this, do you read Japanese or do you get this information from the English language press? IIRC you have spent some time over here and should be aware that what gets reported isnt always so.
The sad thing is Jake actually does read Japanese and is able to read Nippon Kaigi texts. How he comes to his conclusions about them, PM Abe and a whole list of other things is kind of beyond me aside from the fact that sensationalism sells.
The big secret we’re not supposed to tell anyone: when Candians say: “Sorry.” - they don’t mean it. We’re just a bunch of real nasty sarcastic bastards.
Yes cottages; ‘cabins’ west of the hundredth meridian. Perfect for a bunkie. Ideal for boy scout camps. Among other modest claims to fame, Canada has made the beaver kitschy.
