Key points China’s peaceful unification policy and cross-Strait relations are pluralistic. Weak Democratic Progressive Party government, China plans to unseat it in 2028 In addition to defense capabilities, international cooperation is necessary to protect democracy Matsuda Yasuhiro, Professor, The University of Tokyo Taiwan’s presidential and Legislative Yuan elections were held on January 13, 2024, and William Lai of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was elected president. This time, as there were three strong candidates, Lai’s vote share was only 40.05%, and the ruling party is expected to fall short of a majority in the Legislative Yuan election, resulting in a “weak DPP” government. The international community has been paying close attention to the presidential election because of fears that a war could break out in the Taiwan Strait, following in the footsteps of Russia and Ukraine, and Israel and the ... ... [Read more]
Mimaki Seiko, Associate Professor, Doshisha University Japan may soon see its first “feminist foreign minister.” There is such hope in Kamikawa Yoko, who assumed the position of Foreign Minister in September 2023. Since her appointment, Foreign Minister Kamikawa has offered a female perspective to conflict prevention and peacebuilding, and has enthusiastically promoted the “Women, Peace and Security (WPS)” initiative, which aims for more sustainable peace. A task force within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was launched at the end of January. This task force is comprised of regional bureaus that handle bilateral relations with other countries, the International Cooperation Bureau, which handles Official Development Assistance (ODA), and more. At the task force launch meeting, Foreign Minister Kamikawa expressed her desire to “utilize a WPS perspective in an all-Japan manner” in cooperation with other ministries and agencies. She also spoke of her eagerness ... ... [Read more]
Kajitani Kai, Professor, Kobe University Graduate School Recently, there has been a growing awareness in Japan of the importance of “evidence” in reporting and policymaking. Especially when making decisions about highly opaque topics like China, which is my specialty, it is extremely important to support and verify evidence such as statistical data. On the other hand, some voices are sounding the alarm that politicians and large corporations are waiving evidence and objectivity while ignoring the small voices of those affected, causing divisions in society. While there are some valid aspects to this criticism, I cannot agree with an attitude that places too much emphasis on individual narratives. Rather, we should pay attention to how much of the “evidence” that the government and others present is “falsifiable” by third parties. For example, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, more attention has ... ... [Read more]
Key points Elections are manipulated to stay in power in authoritarian countries Political division and growing electoral fraud also in democratic countries Administrations calling snap general elections when it suits them should also be scrutinized Higashijima Masaaki, Associate Professor, University of Tokyo This year, 2024 is a year with elections around the world. In addition to the United States and Russia, which have a major influence on international politics, national elections are also planned in regional powers such as Indonesia, India, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, and other neighboring countries and regions. Depending on the ongoing political funding issue, a dissolution of the Lower House and a general election may also be on the horizon in Japan. Elections have long been synonymous with representative democracy. What are the implications of the upcoming elections in so many countries for the future of the ... ... [Read more]
Shimizu Yuichiro, Professor, Keio University Factional politics have once again become an issue. It was discovered that the largest faction, the Abe faction (Seiwa Political Analysis Council, Seiwakai), has engaged in fraudulent accounting with regard to political funding to the party. Moreover, it was found that the Nikai faction (Shisuikai), led by shrewd former secretary-general Nikai Toshihiro, and the Kishida faction (Kochikai), to which the current prime minister belongs, have had similar problems. The revelations have prompted strong criticism of factional politics. In response, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio quickly announced that he would dissolve his faction, Kochikai. Kochikai was founded by Ikeda Hayato (1899–1965), known for his Income Doubling Plan. As it inherits the lineage of Yoshida Shigeru’s (1878–1967) Liberal Party, it considers itself part of the “conservative mainstream” and is the third faction, which has produced five prime ministers as well as ... ... [Read more]
The percentage of female Diet members in Japan is 10.0% in the Lower House and 26.0% in the Upper House. The figures for the Lower House are particularly low, ranking 165th out of 190 countries in the world (all figures are from the Gender Equality Bureau Cabinet Office, April 11, FY2023). What does it show that there are still fewer women? We will take a closer look at the current situation where people are loudly calling for the elimination of the gender gap, and expose the real problems. Miura Mari, Professor, Sophia University How do we view the gender gap in politics? Various reports and indicators indicate that Japan has a large gender gap, so there is no need to explain it again. The political realm plays an important role in bridging this gap. The Diet creates laws and allocates budgets, and ... ... [Read more]
Tsuru Kotaro, Program Director and Faculty Fellow, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI) Wage increases are attracting intense attention as a touchstone for the future course of the Japanese economy. The Japanese government and the Bank of Japan are closely watching how the forthcoming shunto spring wage negotiations will play out. There are signs of a shift in the long-entrenched norm that prices and wages simply do not rise, which has permeated the nation throughout the long period of deflation, and now is the time to aim for an increasing, virtuous circle between prices and wages. This article will examine whether such a virtuous circle can become sustainable. First, when assessing the shunto wage increase, it is important to understand that it usually consists of two portions—the regular annual pay increase that company employees receive, and the increase in the base pay. It is ... ... [Read more]
Makino Momoe’s newly released book, Jenda Kakusa: Jissho keizaigaku wa nani wo kataruka (Gender Gap: What does empirical economics tell us?) (Chukoshinsho), gives an easy-to-understand explanation of research by Claudia Goldin, laureate of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. This noteworthy author touches on Goldin’s achievements as she explores the reality of Japan’s “gender gap.” Interview by Voice editorial team Makino Momoe, Senior Research Fellow, Development Studies Center, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization Goldin’s Achievements ――Makino-san’s new book, Jenda Kakusa (Gender Gap), has attracted attention for explaining the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences winner Claudia Goldin’s research for the general reader. Makino-san, what was your take on Goldin receiving the award? Makino Momoe: To be honest, I was surprised when I first saw on the news that Goldin alone was awarded the prize. My field of expertise, ... ... [Read more]
Unlike the American decoupling approach, de-risking is attracting more attention as an approach to China spearheaded by Europe. This is characterised by tightening regulations in specific fields for economic security. This article explains what measures the EU is taking and what are Brussels’ aims. Hayashi Daisuke, Associate Professor, Musashino Gakuin University At the G7 Hiroshima Summit in May 2023, the G7 announced its commitment to a de-risking approach towards China. The concept of de-risking was originally proposed by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, and was later incorporated into the G7 Hiroshima Leaders’ Communiqué with other member states, such as the United States and Japan. However, what is the concept of de-risking, and how does it differ from decoupling? I provide an overview of the origins of the concept of de-risking, specific policy developments, and cooperation with ... ... [Read more]
Tanigama Hironori, Professor, Toyo University It is often said that Japanese people began to adopt sports from overseas in the Meiji period (1868–1912). However, the history of foreign sports in Japan is long, and the leisurely aristocrats of ancient times were among the first to experience sports from the continent and enjoy them as an elegant hobby. Kemari, or shukiku (an ancient football game, 蹴鞠), is the most long-lived and widely played foreign athletic game in Japanese history, played by people from all walks of life. In the ancient Imperial Court, a variety of sports were performed by competitors from the provinces during the festival days of the year, while the Emperor and senior aristocrats watched and enjoyed them. Kemari, on the other hand, falls into the category of “sports to do,” played by the ancient nobility themselves. In ancient China, there ... ... [Read more]
Fukushima Natsuko, Executive Editor, Tokyo Art Beat An editor of Tokyo Art Beat speaks to the people in charge about the rediscovery of female artists and gender balance in the collection. The exhibition “Women and Abstraction” was realized by a team of six people A small exhibition “Women and Abstraction” (September 20 to December 3, 2023) is currently being held at Gallery 4, which displays the collection of the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (MOMAT). This is an ambitious exhibition that introduces a number of works from the museum’s collection by women artists who have worked with abstract expression from the immediate postwar period to the present day. This exhibition is a reexamination and curation of works from the collection, including artists who have rarely been introduced to the public, as well as notable artists who are rapidly being reevaluated, and ... ... [Read more]
OKI, musician Irankarapte. The low voice of the conductor echoes through the quiet train. The Ainu greeting is used casually to make people feel more familiar with Ainu culture, in the same way that saying “nihao” might be in China, but when this announcement is made, I unintentionally become defensive. I feel like I want to erase my presence. My home is the next town over from Asahikawa (in north central Hokkaido). It is mainly an agricultural town, but many newcomers have moved to the town, too. A young man whose father is Niikappu Ainu (in Hidaka, southern Hokkaido) and whose mother is Filipino recently moved in. This gives the town two Ainu households. Just as I moved here because I liked the town, this is not a place that was home to an Ainu village in the past. Compared to places with ... ... [Read more]
Manabe Syukuro, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics, interviewed at his home: Learn from your rivals and play to your strengths – the world-renowned 90-year-old authority shares the secrets to reaching the pinnacle of achievement Interviewed by Tsuyama Keiko, journalist When I look back on it, my life as a researcher has been a string of good luck. A paper I wrote back in graduate school happened to catch the attention of an American researcher and I was invited to the US. Then, at a research institute in the US, I was blessed with good supervisors and staff in a positive environment, and I was able to immerse myself in research with full access to a supercomputer. That string of good luck continued all the way to receiving the Nobel Prize, but it truly came as a surprise. When you look at ... ... [Read more]
Sakura Osamu, Professor, University of Tokyo Key Points Cultivating relationships of trust between politicians and expert groups The shift of science and technology patrons from the state to the private sector How ideas from ordinary people can make up for the limitations of experts The spread of COVID-19 has brought a major issue to the fore: what is the right relationship between political judgment and scientific knowledge, or between politicians and experts? We are often finding the opinions of experts grounded in scientific knowledge to be at odds with the decision-making of politicians. This issue is not limited to Japan; it is causing great confusion around the world, including in European countries. It is also not something that sprung up overnight. In Japan’s case, after the accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (the “NPP accident”) caused by the Great ... ... [Read more]
Tsuda Yuichi, Professor at the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Interview and text by Yamane Kazuma, nonfiction writer On a visit to the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture on December 18, 2020, Hagiuda Koichi, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, announced some good news at the press conference. “The capsule brought back by Hayabusa2 contains approximately 5.4 grams of soil samples collected from the asteroid Ryugu. This world-class technology has collected an amount that is fifty times above the target of 0.1 gram.” The first-generation Hayabusa was the first time since the moon landings for humanity to achieve the spectacular feat of bringing back a sample from a celestial body, but that sample was no more than three ... ... [Read more]
Key points The “voice” function of labor unions in negotiations is important The cost of organization is increasing with the shift to a service economy Increasing the organization of non-regular workers to approach that of regular employees Umezaki Osamu, Professor, Hosei University Among the economic entities in Japan today, labor unions are markedly hard to understand. Historically, labor unions boasted a high unionization ratio and had clear goals, such as raising wages in the spring labor offensive (shunto) and eliminating status differences for workers and employees. Moreover, Japanese society accepted that they had the power to do so. There are few labor issues nowadays, so the presence of labor unions seems to be diminishing. However, with stagnant wage increases and the emergence of new labor problems, labor unions are arguably as important as ever. The environment surrounding labor unions is harsh. ... ... [Read more]
Hamada Mari, Representative of Stand by Women The big problem that came to light Candidates are suddenly hugged while giving a speech on the street, are bombarded with slanderous messages, are yelled at by fellow assembly members, and rumors are spread they don’t know about themselves. These types of damages are cases that I often hear about when conducting harassment interviews with female assembly members. There are various factors behind the low number of female assembly members, one of which is harassment. In recent years, this issue has finally begun to receive attention in the media. The trigger is thought to be largely influenced by the report issued by the Cabinet Office (CAO) in 2021, which included a harassment investigation of assembly members, and the “Revised Act on Promotion of Gender Equality in the Political Field” enacted in the same year. This law ... ... [Read more]
Matsumoto Hajimu, nonfiction writer Taiwan Railway is under pressure to reform due to a series of accidents Taipei Main Station is Taiwan’s largest terminal station, served by conventional lines, Taiwan High Speed Rail (bullet train), Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) (Metro Taipei), and used by 450,000 people a day. The current 4th generation station building has 6 floors above ground and 4 floors underground. It boasts a palace-like grandeur, with a large crimson roof modeled after the traditional architecture of Southern Fujian Province, China, known as the “Minnan (Southern Fujian) region.” The center of the ground floor is a vast open space, surrounded by a food court and various shops. The third floor and above are used as offices for the Headquarters of the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) and other offices, and are not open to the general public. (TRA, commonly known as ... ... [Read more]
Mimaki Seiko, Associate Professor, Doshisha University Japan may soon see its first “feminist foreign minister.” There is such hope in Kamikawa Yoko, who assumed the position of Foreign Minister in September 2023. Since her appointment, Foreign Minister Kamikawa has offered a female perspective to conflict prevention and peacebuilding, and has enthusiastically promoted the “Women, Peace and Security (WPS)” initiative, which aims for more sustainable peace. A task force within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was launched at the end of January. This task force is comprised of regional bureaus that handle bilateral relations with other countries, the International Cooperation Bureau, which handles Official Development Assistance (ODA), and more. At the task force launch meeting, Foreign Minister Kamikawa expressed her desire to “utilize a WPS perspective in an all-Japan manner” in cooperation with other ministries and agencies. She also spoke of her eagerness ... ... [Read more]
Shimizu Yuichiro, Professor, Keio University Factional politics have once again become an issue. It was discovered that the largest faction, the Abe faction (Seiwa Political Analysis Council, Seiwakai), has engaged in fraudulent accounting with regard to political funding to the party. Moreover, it was found that the Nikai faction (Shisuikai), led by shrewd former secretary-general Nikai Toshihiro, and the Kishida faction (Kochikai), to which the current prime minister belongs, have had similar problems. The revelations have prompted strong criticism of factional politics. In response, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio quickly announced that he would dissolve his faction, Kochikai. Kochikai was founded by Ikeda Hayato (1899–1965), known for his Income Doubling Plan. As it inherits the lineage of Yoshida Shigeru’s (1878–1967) Liberal Party, it considers itself part of the “conservative mainstream” and is the third faction, which has produced five prime ministers as well as ... ... [Read more]
Kajitani Kai, Professor, Kobe University Graduate School Recently, there has been a growing awareness in Japan of the importance of “evidence” in reporting and policymaking. Especially when making decisions about highly opaque topics like China, which is my specialty, it is extremely important to support and verify evidence such as statistical data. On the other hand, some voices are sounding the alarm that politicians and large corporations are waiving evidence and objectivity while ignoring the small voices of those affected, causing divisions in society. While there are some valid aspects to this criticism, I cannot agree with an attitude that places too much emphasis on individual narratives. Rather, we should pay attention to how much of the “evidence” that the government and others present is “falsifiable” by third parties. For example, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, more attention has ... ... [Read more]