March 24, 2006. Volume 02, Number 12

Thanks for dropping by again this week. Send your comments and suggestions for the program to me at japanconsidered@gmail.com.

And check the Japan Considered Project website for additional information related to Japan's domestic politics and international relations. I have added an interview with Professor John Campbell of the University of Michigan to the Interviews page. That makes a total of thirteen interviews, so far. John also has contributed an Occasional Paper to the collection.

This week we complete our consideration of the race to succeed Junichiro Koizumi as president of the Liberal Democratic Party, and prime minister. I describe how two groups, that I call the "Factionists" and the "Populists," are pursuing their agendas through the LDP presidential succession race, and then consider the significance of this for Japan's domestic politics and international relations.

Next week we will return to the regular program format, with commentary and analysis that focuses on three or four events of importance from the past week's news.

Here are links to individuals and organizations mentioned during today's program:

Liberal Democratic Party

Japan Considered Project

Rounder Records

March 17, 2006. Volume 02, No. 11

Welcome back for another week of the Japan Considered Podcast. Thanks again for subscribing, or for downloading the audio file. E-mail your suggestions and comments to me at japanconsidered@gmail.com.

This week we begin with response to a listener's question. Why all the coverage of the Democratic Party of Japan when they appear to be going nowhere.

After discussion of what we can learn from observing the DPJ, we shift to the first part of a two-week consideration of the race within the LDP to succeed Junichiro Koizumi as Party President. This includes profiles of the two leading candidates, and review of the April 2001 election that put Koizumi into office.

We conclude with a short clip from "Big Spike Hammer" from Volume Three of the Bluegrass Album: California Connection. You can order a copy of the CD from Rounder Records at the link below.

Some Links to individuals and organizations mentioned this week:

The Democratic Party of Japan

The Liberal Democratic Party

Shinzo Abe

Yasuo Fukuda

Yasuhiro Nakasone

Rounder Records

March 3, 2006. Volume 02, Number 09

Thanks for tuning in again this week. We begin with three important international items. First, Japan's reaction to comments made earlier in the week by South Korean President Roh concerning revision of Japan's Constitution.

Then we consider preparations for official bilateral negotiations with China over the East China Sea boundary dispute, and its signifiance.

Japan hosted Iran's Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, this week, hoping to mediate the dispute between Iran and much of the rest of the world over enrichment of uranium.

Finally, we return to the Nagata e-mail flap and consider its significance for the politics of the remainder of the current Diet session, and then its potential significance for national political leadership in Japan.

The closing bars of bluegrass are worth waiting for: Tony Rice singing "There's Nothin' Like a Hundred Miles" on his 1992 Rounder album, Native American.

Here are a few links to individuals and organizations mentioned during today's program:

Republic of South Korea, Office of the President

United Nations, Oceans and the Law of the Sea

Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Rounder Records

The Japan Considered Project