sushi

The Koizumi era ended last week, a period which coincidentally shadowed my own stay in Japan. A lot of print has been expended on the success or otherwise of the now former Prime Minister, but it is probably safe to say this. That Koizumi inherited a legacy of deflation and economic stagnation, a banking system mired in bad debt, and an inward looking polity. Today Japan is growing again, has defeated deflation and has generally undergone a massive shakeup at company level. It is more forward looking and confident internationally. Added to this was Koizumi's unique style of governance, a crash through or crash methodology in which policy creation and delivery was often prised from the reach of meddling political hacks and civil servants. An interesting time to be in Japan.

Shinzo Abe is also an interesting man and may well prove to be a better Prime Minister, if he can get beyond a purely conservative agenda. The Yasukuni issue is begging for a resolution. There is still way too much nannying by civil authorities. Japanese who want to achieve outside the parameters currently set down (culturally and politically) should be allowed to do so. Japan also needs to deal more honestly with its recent wartime past; textbooks which whitewash atrocities or misdeeds are at best, unhelpful.

But the foundation has been laid. Vale Lionheart!