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]

  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]

  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]

  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]

  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]

  Endo Ken, Professor, University of Tokyo The Current State of the Japan-South Korea Relationship As far as the Far East is concerned, changes have resulted from the ongoing US-China conflict and the war in Ukraine in three dimensions: the Korean peninsula, Japan-South Korea relations, and the Taiwan situation. Let us begin with the Korean peninsula. The situation on the peninsula undergoes rapid change. The framework of cooperation that was symbolized by the Six-Party Talks of 2003–2007 has long since broken down, replaced by the bloc-like constellations of Japan, the United Nations, and South Korea on one hand, and China, Russia, and North Korea on the other. In addition to North Korea’s military expansion, both qualitative and quantitative, China and Russia have shifted to positions closer to North Korea in the United Nations Security Council, China-North Korea trade has apparently started to resume, and ... ... [Read more]

  Key points Rapid growth with coexisting developed- and developing-country challenges Shifting to a mindset that prioritizes sustainability and equity Concern over the low number of Japanese young people studying abroad in Asia   Endo Tamaki, Professor, Saitama University   2023 will be the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation, and a summit meeting is scheduled for December in Tokyo. Over the past 50 years, the relationship between Japan and ASEAN, as well as Asia’s economy and society, has changed significantly. Asia’s rapid economic development has progressed while economic interdependence within the region has deepened. After World War II, Asia was known as a region of poverty and stagnation, but it has shown what has been called a “miracle” of high economic growth and has emerged as an emerging Asia, despite facing several crises. In the 21st century, the GDP share of Asia, ... ... [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]

  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]

  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]

  Key points Mild deflation process keeps down household consumption When people’s long-term expectations are overturned, there is a risk of rapid inflation The Bank of Japan recognizes the risk that a policy shift may cause disorder   Saito Makoto, Professor, Nagoya University   Japan’s fiscal and monetary policies are facing drastic changes in a global economic environment marked by advancing inflation and rising long- and short-term interest rates. There is also the firmly rooted view in the financial community and elsewhere that the long-term interest rate should be raised to reduce the gap between domestic and foreign interest rates as well as counter the yen’s depreciation. There is also a lot of talk about removing the upper limit on long-term interest rates. Moreover, there have been prominent proposals for the restoration of fiscal discipline in anticipation of a rise in long-term interest rates. ... ... [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]

  This paper examines energy security from an economics perspective, using the gasoline subsidy issue and the delay in introducing carbon pricing as examples.   Fujii Hideaki, Professor, Faculty of Economics, Kyoto Sangyo University What is energy security? Japan’s high economic growth, which began in the late 1950s, came to an end with the first oil crisis in 1973, and 2023 marks 50 years since then. Subsequently, as the external environment of the energy market changed, the Japanese economy succeeded in reducing energy consumption intensity (energy consumption required to produce a unit of gross domestic product) over the long term. This has been because of the rapid yen appreciation due to the Plaza Accord (1985), deregulation and market opening, Japan-US trade friction, the bubble economy and its collapse, the end of the Cold War structure, the deflationary economy, globalization, crude oil price volatility, the ... ... [Read more]