May 25, 2007. Volume 03, Number 19

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Welcome again to the Japan Considered Podcast. Coming to you this week from Iron Station in the beautiful Piedmont region of our Northern neighboring state.

This week our focus from beginning to end is international. First, a look at Japan's response to the latest North Korean missile initiative. This one conducted early this morning, Japan time. Then we consider recent events in Japan's relationship with Mainland China. Including the latest round of bilateral negotiations over the East China Sea gas exploitation issue. And other issues of significance.

I forgot to load the bluegrass clip I'd prepared for you this week when setting up the mobile studio at home. But I'll be sure to remember it next week. Sorry about that. You will find podcast subscription information at the top of this page, should you want an easier method of accessing the program. It's just a click away.

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Greetings from Norris Dam State Park in Eastern Tennessee. A beautiful site to create a Podcast. Listen to this week's program, or read the transcript, for more details on this area.

This week a lot was going on in Tokyo. We begin with consideration of the longer-term significance of the Diet's passage of the Constitution Revision Referendum Law. Then we look at the ticklish issue of collective security, or collective self defense. And finally we continue our survey of the environment within which Japan's domestic political competition occurs.

As usual, please continue to send your comments and suggestions to me at RobertCAngel@gmail.com. I read them all, and consider each one when creating new programs. The mail increases each week. As the number of listeners and subscribers increases. And that's a good thing, as they say.

May 11, 2007. Volume 03, Number 17

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Welcome back to you long-time listeners, and a hearty South Carolina welcome to those of you who've found the program for the first time. I'm Robert Angel, creator and maintainer of the Japan Considered Project. And creator and host of this podcast.

Each week at this time we consider a few recent events that seem to have the greatest longer-term significance for Japan's domestic politics and conduct of international relations. Click on over to the Japan Considered website where you'll find all sorts of useful information. Including interviews with well-known contributors to American scholarship on political Japan. And an archive of sound files and transcripts of these podcasts. Which goes clear back to November of 2005.

This week we begin with an interview with Dr. Ed Lincoln, Director of the Japan-U.S. Center at New York University's Stern School of Business. Ed helps us sort through the significance of the recent spate of FTA agreements Japan and other countries have been negotiating of late.

Then we turn to Japan's domestic politics. I set the stage for more in-depth consideration of the changes in Japan's domestic political environment during the past fifteen or twenty years. We'll continue on this theme next week as well, and then consider the current state of the major competitors in Japan's Diet: the LDP and DPJ.

Don't miss the incredible bluegrass clip at the end. It'll warm your heart all week!

May 4, 2007; Volume 03, Number 16

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Thanks for tuning in again this week. We have an interesting program. First, an important correction, thanks to a sharp-eared listener. Then a Skype-line interview with Gregg Rubinstein during which he explains the substance and significance of the recently concluded U.S.-Japan "2+2" consultations. Then, at last we look at the Abe Cabinet's recent energy diplomacy initiative, including the Prime Minister's recently concluded trip to five countries in the Middle East, and METI Minister Amari's visit to Kazakhstan. Both visits including huge delegations of senior Japanese business leaders.