Representing Ma in Japan

Exotic imagine presentation is not a lineal process. Mass media and communication content are core part to shape public perception. Taiwan’s new Pres. had been doing hard to dissipate public concern over his anti-Japan posture. Built on his C.V. to defend Taiwan’s sovereignty over Senkaku islands 尖閣諸島（Diayutai islands, 釣魚台列嶼）, Ma earned reputation to incarnate official KMT nationalism in moder life. Bottom line, Ma never expressed his insistence of claiming Taiwan’s sovereignty as the base to negotiate with Japan.

The past few days, Japanese news covered a story to reinforce this impression. He sent a hanging scroll written “partnership” (和衷共濟) to an anti-Japan group named 中華保釣協會, literally means Chinese Association of Protecting Diayutai, which opened shop in Hong Kong days before. Even Ma YJ implicated this was a custom in Taiwan to celebrate establishment of new group, but his explanation raised extensive concern internationally over his promise to improve Taiwan-Japan relationship. As Yomiuri news reports, Pres Ma’s gift might affect bilateral relationship.

【台北＝源一秀】台湾の馬英九総統が、尖閣諸島（台湾名・釣魚台列島）の領有権を主張する民間団体「中華保釣協会」（本部・台北、劉源俊理事長）の発足に合わせ、反日行動をあおるような文言の入った掛け軸を贈っていたことが分かった。

　反日団体とも言える組織へのこうした贈り物は、日台関係に影を落とす恐れもある。

　同協会は今年６月、内政部（総務省）に正式認可され、１１月９日に発足した。会員は約８０人。中国や香港、マカオ、米国の活動家とも連携を取っている。「釣魚台の主権死守」を設立の目的として掲げ、「（日本との）釣魚台海域の共同開発」が最終目標としている。活動計画には「毎年１回の釣魚台訪問で我々の主権を主張すること」も盛り込まれている。

　掛け軸は今年１０月末、馬総統が贈ったもので、「和衷共済」の成語が大書され、隣に馬総統の名前が入っている。成語は「心を同じくして協力しよう」の意。馬総統自身、過去に尖閣諸島の領有権を主張する活動に関与していることから、同団体に肩入れしたようにも読み取れる。

In fact, Pres. Ma’s approval rate in Taiwan dropped drastically thanks to his poor performance. His premier Liu Zhaoxuan planned to issue purchase voucher to stimulate consumption. This policy borrowed the wisdom from Japan without deliberation. In addition, the government also concentrated its energy over the corruption case of former Pres Chen Shuibian. A Japanese commentator wisely described current arrest as “arrest show” like the South Korea counterparts that helped little to improve government performance. Observers worried if Taiwan would repeat the track of South Korea of political revenge which destabilized domestic politics.

Idea at War

Great East Asia Coprosperity Sphere is a condemning subject in East Asia post WWII. The invading legacy of Japanese Imperial Army left miserable record to the ideal of East Asia integration and taught the lesson of military misuse. Facing global movements toward regionalism, East Asia integration buoyed up and brought new perspective to review pan-Asianism in history.

Before jumping into the “whose Asia” thesis, let’s read some philosophy.

Nishida Kitarô（西田幾多郎）, the spiritual father of Kyoto school presented a non-western muse of philosophy of “field.” This idea provide civil potential for diverse cultural to blend and mix in oriental way. I found a good book authored by Goto-Jones a new way to inspire more possibility. Why should I read this book? Becoz I’m visiting the beautiful Leiden a few days latter.

Post-Boom Recession

I read an interesting article written by sessai concerning post-boom recession. He lists historical record as below:

神武景気　　　１９５４年１２月～５７年６月　２年７カ月
なべ底不況　　　５７年７月～５８年６月　１年
岩戸景気　　　　５８年７月～６１年１２月　３年６カ月
いざなぎ景気　　６５年１１月～７０年７月　４年９カ月
第１次石油危機　７３年１２月～７５年３月　１年４カ月
第２次石油危機　８０年３月～８３年２月　３年
円高不況　　　　８５年７月～８６年１１月　１年５カ月
バブル景気　　　８６年１２月～９１年２月　４年３カ月
ＩＴバブル　　　９９年２月～００年１１月　１年１０カ月
戦後最長景気　　０２年２月～０８年８月？

It is a little bit sorry to read the one-day event of Julia Tokyo on the same article. The mesmeric club was virtually a representative icon for pop culture in the early 90s. Days before a music event brought back the sensational scene that lured a crowd of ladies ranging from 20s to 40s to join. A long line was drawn before the event started. Obviously Tokyo people need a shelter to hide behind tough days.

Problematic poll for PM approval rate

PrimeMinister Fukuda had stepped down days before. However a lingering question ghosted the general public are diverse poll figures released by mainstream news agencies. Poll technology is advancing through decades. But transplanting poll to East Asia reached limited success. Not only in Japan, most polls conducted in Taiwan and South Korea fail to show supposed accuracy. A intuitive answer attribute the inaccuracy to indirectness of expression of opinion of Japanese people. What is missing from this intuition is political identity in “a non-liberal democracy”.

內閣民調問題, originally uploaded by Jameswy.Wang.

Non-liberal democracy implicates a political system employs alternative principle for leadership selection which contrasts liberal democracy. Most parliamentarian governments adopt sort of seniority system to recruit candidates for post appointment. In mature democracies whereas turnover of ruling party is frequent, electorates may perceive political ethics of “selectorate” and expect promotion of beloved politicians. But in liberal democracies, promising leaders compete based on the odds to win. The race turns out to be competition of capacity. The psychological link between politicians and electorates could remind poll experts, especially training in US, to adjust predicting model when do polling in parliamentarian countries.

A more Asian Japan

This is a diagram illustrates exchange of personnels amid new trendy of regionalism across East Asia. Taiwan, South Korea and China deepened relations with Japan whilst a new intra-regional gravity was fermenting. It’s true. Japan is more Asian contingent on gold flow and human exchange. What is missing in this diagram is Japan is more global as well. A growing group of global Japanese enterprises adapted to globalised environment and developed new structure of decision making. Under lukewarm figure of growth rate, Japanese business learned how to survive with slow growth. This is a signal of a mature economy. Japan deserved a reappraisal with sophistication.

朝日新聞：亞洲人與日本來往交流情形, originally uploaded by Jameswy.Wang.