differing thoughts

Japan's newly elected Prime Minister Yukio Hatayama will visit the UN next week to declare to the world that a new kind of government rules Japan today, one that seeks to distance itself from the US and move closer to China. The Democratic Party of Japan swept aside the Liberal-Democratic Party that ruled Japan for 50 years with an over-whelming majority. What will that mean? The nation that stands to lose most is the US. Taiwan already sees the writing on the wall. For the first time since the war Japan's efforts to re-enter the Asian community of nations will be taken seriously and China is certain to play a key role in making that happen. China has cash, credit, and immense un-tapped markets. Japan has state-of-the-art technology and an advanced manufacturing system that is currently vastly under-utilized. Sending a clown to Japan to represent the US was a bad idea before the election. The choice now looks far worse. The US can no longer count on Japan's support in the UN and especially on America's floundering missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. I'd hoped that ML and Jackie might touch on

Hi. On Japan at the UN, even before the election Ambassador Takasu took positions more China- than U.S.-like on Sri Lanka (on which Japan was among the countries fighting to keep it off the Security Council agenda, as a merely internal matter) and even Myanmar (other than, briefly, in the wake of the filmed killing by the military of a Japanese cameraman who was cover the monks' "Saffron Revolution"). About the only issue on the Security Council's agenda on which Japan and the U.S. work together is North Korea's nuclear program -- on this, Amb. Takasu grandstands, apparently for domestic consumption. Will the election or the U.S. sending Roos as Ambassador and what that represents change even that? Leaving that question open, a full disclosure for viewers and so Bob doesn't choose the wrong elixir: it wasn't green tea, it was Mountain Dew. The next best thing? Matthew Russell Lee, Esq., Inner City Press
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yeah, but what do these two think about the health care debate and intelligent design???!!!:-)

No bubbles? Looked pretty tasty. Thanks for reply. I live and teach in Japan. On Friday I asked four business guys what they thought about Mr. Hatoyama's plans. All four agreed: time to turn east. Japan needs China and Chinese markets more than those in the US. Mr. Ozawa is still pulling the strings and the key players are in the ministries. If China shows some flexibility and tamps down domestic anti-Japanese sentiment, Japan will very likely move more clearly with China. There's simply too much of an upside for Japan. As you know, the war is an enormous millstone around Japan's neck. China can open the door to re-conciliation. Nationalists in Russia, Japan, and China will grumble. But if the pay-off is increased trade and status for all, at the expense of the US, Japanese bureaucrats and business leaders are sure to go along. It's early days in one sense. Yet, Amb. Rice has already served 1/8 of her term. All hell hasn't broken loose and that has to be a success. But I'd say if Japan sides with China, any chance of an embargo against Iran is hopeless. China can offer to really reign in Kim in ways that the US clearly

Quoting kidneystones: No bubbles? Looked pretty tasty.

Thanks for reply. I live and teach in Japan. On Friday I asked four business guys what they thought about Mr. Hatoyama's plans. All four agreed: time to turn east. Japan needs China and Chinese markets more than those in the US.

interesting reading. Are there regional factions in China that can grow in power and someday soon cause China to not be the international monolith it is today? What does it all mean for the spread of nuclear weapons in the Muslim world? The ultimate alliance is for the US and Asia to work together to keep the oil flowing out of the ME and prevent the Muslim countries from getting nukes. The fact that China allows NK to do what it does makes me doubt that China will ever be a force for good.

Quoting kidneystones: Japan's newly elected Prime Minister Yukio Hatayama will visit the UN next week to declare to the world that a new kind of government rules Japan today, one that seeks to distance itself from the US and move closer to China. The Democratic Party of Japan swept aside the Liberal-Democratic Party that ruled Japan for 50 years with an over-whelming majority.

What will that mean? The nation that stands to lose most is the US. Taiwan already sees the writing on the wall. For the first time since the war Japan's efforts to re-enter the Asian community of nations will be taken seriously and China is certain to play a key role in making that happen. China has cash, credit, and immense un-tapped markets. Japan has state-of-the-art technology and an advanced manufacturing system that is currently vastly under-utilized.

Sending a clown to Japan to represent the US was a bad idea before the election. The choice now looks far worse. The US can no longer count on Japan's support in the UN and especially on America's floundering missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. I'd hoped that ML and Jackie might touch on

I appreciate the interest and the civil tone. You're bright enough to learn a good deal about China and Asia if you're sincerely interested. Best of luck.

At last, another Matthew Lee appearance.
Always among the most fun, informative, and fascinating diavloggers on the site. Hoping he can make it back on a weekly basis.

Quoting pod2: Always among the most fun, informative, and fascinating diavloggers on the site.

Agreed. This was a fun one, for inside baseball.

Not just known for their tasty barbecue.

And I thought Matt and Jackie had great chemistry too. This was fun.