In The News
Telegraph UK, "China and Japan begin talks on building alliance"
October 5, 2009
Efforts by the new Japanese prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama, to build new relationships with Japan's Asian neighbors are being seen as another sign that the administration is turning its back on Washington. The implications of an East Asian economic alliance for the rest of the world would be far-reaching. Robert Dujarric, director of the Institute of Contemporary Studies at Temple University, Japan, said: "I think Japan is looking for a way to improve the atmosphere with China, show Japanese leadership and co-operation, as well as improve economic ties and resolve pending territorial issues." But Dujarric believes there are benefits that the West could reap from a closer relationship between Japan and the rest of Asia.
New York Times, "President of Toyota Apologizes"
October 2, 2009
Akio Toyoda, president of Toyota, spewed a litany of apologies to astonished reporters gathered for a briefing Friday. His public display of grief follows a tradition of remorse in Japan, where profuse public apologies — often accompanied by repeated bowing — are the norm for scandal-tainted politicians and executives at unprofitable companies. “Sometimes, this apology business is a way to avoid taking real action or responsibility,” said Robert Dujarric, director of the Institute of Contemporary Japanese Studies at Temple University’s Japan campus. “When you hear these long apologies,” Dujarric said, “It makes you want to say: ‘Don’t be sorry, just do something about it.’”
Philadelphia Business Journal, "Temple adds Colombia to its international program roster"
September 25-October 1, 2009
Temple business professor Arvind Phatak, who left his native India 40 years ago, knows first hand how exposure to foreign cultures can impact one’s world view. Now, as one of the leaders behind a new program at Temple’s Fox School of Business in which professors travel to a South American university to teach classes to local MBA students, Phatak hopes to give his American colleagues a taste of the experience. “Just going outside the hotel, walking around, eating different meals, is an experience in itself, but when you go into the classroom, you have students from that culture and they bring a different perspective to that classroom,” said Phatak, who is also executive director of the Institute of Global Management Studies. The program, which began in July, is a joint venture between Fox and Pontifica Universidad Javeriana in Columbia.
Agence France-Presse, "Global summit deal just the start of jockeying"
September 25, 2009
The White House announced that the Group of 20, an ad hoc gathering of wealthy and emerging powers meeting in Pittsburgh for its third summit, would become the key forum for global economic decisions. The G20 has eclipsed the Group of Eight, a club only of rich economies. Robert Dujarric of Temple University, Japan Campus, said the G8 had inherent problems -- it could not discuss the global economy without China but could not tackle security issues due to Russia, which entered the club with US support after the fall of the Soviet Union. But Dujarric said the composition of the G20 would remain controversial. "It's very hard to decide who's in and who's out. I don't think there's a magic formula," he said.
Associated Press, "Japan's PM, Cabinet Resign"
September 15, 2009
Japan's parliament was poised to name a former opposition leader prime minister Wednesday as worries mounted that his largely untested party wasn't up to the task of reviving the struggling economy. "Hatoyama has a lot to prove; the party also has a lot to prove. They are untested. It's a green Cabinet team. They don't have many seasoned veterans," said Jeff Kingston, Temple University Director of Asian Studies in Tokyo. "There will be some stumbling here and there."
Xinhua, "Where does Japan's new tripartite coalition head for?"
September 10, 2009
Rifts over foreign policy, including the state of Japan's relationship with the United States, have emerged as the Democratic Party of Japan sought to form a three-party ruling coalition. The DPJ, some experts believe, will steer Japan away from America. For example, the DPJ "will expose the secret agreement that allows the U.S. to routinely violate the three non-nuclear principles," said Jeff Kingston, a professor of Asian studies at Temple University, Japan Campus.
Agence France-Presse, "Taiwan's ex-president awaits politicized verdict"
September 9-10, 2009
The most controversial trial in Taiwan's history reaches its long awaited conclusion on Friday when a court in Taipei announces its verdict in the graft case against former President Chen Shui-bian. "The problem with the case is that it is heavily politicized," said Phil Deans of Temple University, Japan Campus. "Taiwan's court system can’t win and Taiwan can’t win from this trial as one side or another will be unhappy about the verdict even if it were a perfect judgment."
Voice of America, "Some Japanese Families Face Hunger During Recession"
September 9, 2009
Aid groups say thousands of Japanese families are living under the poverty line.Some political analysts say the unemployment and economic distress that contribute to hunger helped Japan's Democratic Party win a landslide victory in recent elections. Jeff Kingston, Asia studies professor at the Tokyo campus of Temple University, says many voters blamed the defeated Liberal Democratic Party for the nation's stagnant growth. "There is a strong sense of disquiet, I think perhaps among some there is a sense of betrayal, the social contract has been sundered," he said.
NPR’s All Things Considered, "U.S. Relationship To Test Japan's New Ruling Party"
September 1, 2009
Washington's new ambassador in Japan, John Roos, had never been to Japan before he got the job. And that lack of experience plays into Japanese insecurities about the country's place in Washington's pecking order, says Jeff Kingston of Temple University Japan. "I think there was a collective sense of disappointment with the appointment of someone nobody knew anything about. I mean, below low profile — no profile. And so I think in Japan there's a sense of 'Japan passing and China rising,' and this does give way to anxieties," Kingston says.
Agence France-Presse, "Tough times ahead for LDP, Japan's fallen giant"
August 31, 2009
Crushed in a historic election rout, its old guard leadership in disarray, Japan's long-ruling conservative party on Monday faced up to the unaccustomed role of life in opposition. "They've always existed in symbiosis with the government and the bureaucracy," said Robert Dujarric, director of the Institute of Contemporary Japanese Studies at Temple University, Japan Campus. "How do they survive without these ties and without the funding that comes from being in power?"
Associated Press, "Japan opposition leader aims for rise to top job"
August 27, 2009
As Japan heads into crucial elections on Sunday, Hatoyama widely leads Prime Minister Taro Aso as the person most voters want as their leader, according to several media polls. The 62-year-old former engineer is an unlikely figure to bring about major political change. "He is a miserable candidate," said Jeff Kingston, director of Asian studies at Temple University, Japan. "He is wooden, he is stiff, he can't improvise. His image is that he is not a very decisive leader, somebody who's not so charismatic, not so strong willed."
Los Angeles Times, "Japanese ex-premier fights uphill battle for reelection"
August 27, 2009
Former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda faces the political battle of his life to win reelection to the lower house of the Diet, Japan's parliament. His biggest hurdle does not appear to be his opponent, a former television reporter and political novice, but voter discontent. "The Japanese are ready to give the LDP a well-deserved sayonara," said Jeff Kingston, director of Asian studies at Temple University, Japan. "Everyone thinks they are dead-enders with no fresh ideas and no creative policies. The misery index is soaring, unemployment and suicides are up, wages and bonuses are down, and everyone is feeling insecure about their jobs and futures."
Voice of America, "Japan Poised for Historic Political Shift in Predicted Election Landslide"
August 27, 2009
More than half a century of all but uncontested political leadership in Japan appears set to end this weekend, as voters elect new parliamentary representatives. 480 lower house seats are at stake in Sunday's vote. Some political experts have predicted the DPJ may capture as many as 300 of those, giving it a resounding mandate in both the upper and lower house. The LDP has controlled Japan's parliament almost without interruption for 55 years. Jeffrey Kingston, director of Asian Studies at Temple Japan, says the DPJ lead does not indicate the party has swept voters off their feet. "Clearly this is not a vote for the DPJ," he said. "It's a vote against the LDP. People are fed up."
Telegraph (UK), "Japan's Happiness Party plans to attack North Korea"
August 13, 2009
Kyoko Okawa, founder of Japan's new Happiness Realization Party, has pledged to attack North Korea if elected. The mother-of-five's party is the latest option for Japanese heading to the polls in the Aug 30 election, which is expected to bring to an end more than five decades of near uninterrupted rule by the Liberal Democratic Party. Jeffrey Kingston, of Temple University’s Japan campus, said: "They are trying to make a splash. They are a tiny party and so they are taking an extreme stance.”
BBC News, "Gaffe-prone Japan PM struggling"
July 21, 2009
He put a brave face on, walking up to the podium and bowing stiffly before he began the news conference. But even some in his own Liberal Democratic Party fear Japan's Prime Minister, Taro Aso, is leading them to a historic defeat. He is asking for more time in power. But he began by saying sorry for past mistakes. And he worries that the bureaucrats will miss great ideas, which might go unfunded. Japan is now mired in a recession, and that is on top of a decade of stagnation in the 1990s. "The LDP has nothing to run on, their record is miserable, they've done nothing to alleviate the soaring misery index," says Jeff Kingston of Temple University in Tokyo.
Bloomberg, "Aso Pressured by LDP Leaders to Quit Before Election"
July 16, 2009
Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso is under pressure from senior colleagues to resign as head of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party before next month's general election, which polls show may end a half-century hold on power. "How much more desperate can the LDP get?" said Jeff Kingston, professor of Japanese politics at Temple University, Japan Campus. "It's almost unthinkable to change leaders this close to an election, but everyone knows the LDP is going to go down big-time with Aso as leader."
Asia Times Online, "Japan heads for landmark polls"
July 14, 2009
Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso called for sudden elections next month after his party suffered a major defeat in Sunday's Tokyo metropolitan election. "Aso must assume that if he further delays the general election, the infighting with the LDP will worsen, possibly forcing him out of office," said Robert Dujarric from Temple University’s Japan Campus. "It further discredits the ruling party in the eyes of the voters regardless of whether Aso himself weathers the storm. They may think there's little chance the economy will improve under him."
Associated Press, "Japan's ruling party defeats no-confidence motion"
July 14, 2009
Japan's Prime Minister Taro Aso survived a no-confidence motion by an emboldened opposition in parliament on Tuesday but acknowledged his long-ruling conservative party faces a tough battle in national elections next month. "The LDP has been in power too long, it's been corrupted by that power," said Jeff Kingston, director of Asian Studies at Temple University's Japan Campus. "I think it's run out of fresh ideas and I think it's been led by people who don't have creative leadership abilities."
Reuters, "Japan Democrats'Hatoyama could be next Prime Minister"
July 13, 2009
Yukio Hatoyama stands a good chance of leading his party to victory over the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in a Japanese election expected on August 30, but may lack the dynamism to generate much excitement. The Democrats picked the bouffant-haired Hatoyama to replace his scandal-hit predecessor in a May leadership race, seeing him as best able to hold the sometimes fractious party together. "His best quality is that he's not Aso," said Jeff Kingston, professor of Asian studies at Temple University's Tokyo campus. "He's a bit of a cipher. He's prominent, but he doesn't leave a strong impression."
Time, "Japan's Prime Minister Taro Aso Calls for General Election"
July 13, 2009
If recent election results are any indication, the Japanese electorate is prepared to end the Liberal Democratic Party’s long stint running the country. In Tokyo's Metropolitan Assembly elections, a contest that is considered a bellwether of the country's mood, the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) for the first time won a majority with 54 seats. "This [win] is big enough to indicate that, within the country, the trend is not good for the LDP," says Robert Dujarric, director of Temple University's Institute of Contemporary Japanese Studies.
The Wall Street Journal, "South Korea, Japan Want North Korea to Return to Talks"
June 28, 2009
The leaders of South Korea and Japan pledged Sunday to work together to bring North Korea back to the table for negotiations aimed at persuading the isolated regime to abandon its nuclear-weapons program. Robert Dujarric of Temple University, Japan Campus, said that closer economic ties between the north Asian powers, especially given the current economic downturn, make sense, especially for Seoul. "South Korea built its economy on the Japanese model, so it faces exactly the same challenges," he said in an AP wire story.
Reuters, "Comedian for Japan PM?"
June 26, 2009
Some say Japan's long-ruling Liberal Democratic Partyjust might bedesperate enough to take up an offer from an ex-comedianto take over as leader. "Everyone is predicting that they are going to get pasted at the polls, so the LDP may be in a high-risk mode," said Jeffrey Kingston, director of Asian Studies at Temple University, Japan Campus. "What do they have to lose?"
China Daily, "Japan woman retraces history route to China by monk"
June 3, 2009
For more than 25 years Virginia Stibbs Anami has been following the trail of a Jikaku Daishi, or Monk Ennin, a Japanese monk who traveled to China in the 9th century. Anami, who lectures on ancient Chinese at Temple University, Japan Campus, has recently been back on the mainland to promote her book about Ennin. "He became a kind of symbol of China-Japan relations," she says, "because he was one of the first Japanese who lived in China and was given a lot of help by Chinese people during his nine years here."
Stars and Stripes, "Wait-and-see attitude counseled on N. Korea"
June 3, 2009
The latest provocations from North Korea do not warrant an immediate, forceful response, experts in U.S.-Asia relations said during a public panel discussion at Temple University, Japan Campus. The panelists agreed that no one is prepared to deal with the consequences of the Pyongyang regime's disintigration. "Nobody wants [North Korea] to collapse," said TUJ faculty member Robert Dujarric. "If the Chinese government said, 'Look, this man is an abomination. We're going to cut him off and bring down his regime,' most Japanese and American policymakers would be horrified."
The Economist, "Innovation through regulation"
June 2, 2009
Despite its great technology, Japan has had difficulties exploiting its full innovative potential. According to a new paper co-authored by Robert Dujarric of Temple University, Japan Campus, the cause is the corporate structure of Japanese companies -- which the authors call "a mismatch between the country's vertical and hierarchical industrial organizations and the horizontal, ecosystem-based structures" of modern IT industries.
Inter Press Service (Italy), "North Korea: Japan Has Little Leverage Over Volatile Neighbor"
May 26, 2009
North Korea’s nuclear tests are a grave security concern to Japan and have significantly raised tension in the region. Most analysts believe Japan would be a likely target if the regime were to ever use nuclear weapons in a major conflict. "The test this year is North Korea’s bid to get more attention and bargaining leverage with the United States," says Jeffrey Kingston of Temple University, Japan Campus. "The Obama Administration has played it cool and unlike its predecessors has not panicked, refusing to play the game by Pyongyang rules."
Bloomberg, "Japan Adopts Grand Juries, Jury Duty After Criminal Case Abuse"
May 18, 2009
In Japan, a new law is ending prosecutors' long-held control over indictments, handing it to a panel of eleven citizens -- effectively a grand jury. The law is part of a reform aimed at restoring public trust after miscarriages of justice undermined a system that produces guilty verdicts 99.7 percent of the time in criminal trials. "We're likely to see a continuation of high conviction rates," said Matthew Wilson, general counsel at Temple University, Japan Campus, and adviser to the national bar association on jury trials. Wilson said that if convictions to fall from the current level, it would "call into question the system that has been built in Japan over the last 60 or 70 years."
Bloomberg, "Ozawa Quits as Japan’s Opposition Head Over Scandal (Update2)"
May 11, 2008
Ichiro Ozawa resigned as leader of Japan's opposition over a campaign-funding scandal, abandoning a two-month fight for survival that jeopardized his party's prospects for an unprecedented election victory. "Ozawa has far exceeded his shelf-life," said Jeff Kingston, a political science professor at Temple University, Japan Campus. "Until the scandal broke out, the election was the [the Democratic Party of Japan's for the taking."
BBC Radio
May 11, 2009
The Japanese government has come under pressure to help end the civil war between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers. "Japan has a long track record demonstrating its reluctance to use leverage to pressure governments to change their policies," said Jeff Kingston of Temple University, Japan Campus. "The Japanese are the leading donor of official development assistance to Sri Lanka…They have a lot of influence in Sri Lanka, but they prefer to remain behind the scenes."
Korea Herald, "[HERALD INTERVIEW] How to boost Korea's brand"
May 8, 2009
According to a new book, Korea's national brand is in dire need of a boost. Professor Keith Dinnie of Temple University, Japan Campus, recently gave a seminar in Seoul to promote the Korean translation of his book Nation Branding: Concepts, Issues, Practice. In the book, the professor of business administration analyzes the unique nature of Korea's weak national brand. "The current administration's efforts to boost Korea! 's! brand is positive. It's great that the president is taking a personal interest in nation branding," he said.
MyFox National, "Swine Flu Masks Sport Fun Designs"
April 30, 2009
During flu and allergy season in Japan, people are still seen regularly wearing masks. It's not uncommon to see people riding the subway or walking the streets with a mask on. Many say it's not only to protect themselves from other people's germs, but to protect others from their germs. "Japan is fastidious to the point of being obsessive," said Kyle Cleveland, a cultural sociologist at Temple University, Japan Campus. "People are willing to acknowledge and recognize the value of not making others sick."
KYW News Radio, "Local Experts Offer Thoughts on Obama and Cuba"
April 25, 2009
Some Philadelphia area professors who assess the overtures that President Obama is making to Cuba say that Washington’s estranged relationship with Havana is thawing, 'at least in tone, and symbolism.' No one is talking of fundamental reform in Cuba overnight, but it's a 'civilized way to start a dialogue.' "This is a feeler on the part of the president." Temple professor and chair of the department of Spanish and Portuguese, Luis Gonzalez Del Valle, was born in Cuba. "[Obama] fully understands that the embargo is doing nothing for anyone."
Associated Press, "For allergy and flu season, the Japanese turn to surgical masks"
April 21, 2009
Everyone in Japan is wearing the latest surgical mask, the N95. Perhaps it's because Japan gets a double whammy of influenza germs and cedar pollen in the spring, leading to runny noses, watery eyes and coughing. But the masks also are a show of consideration for others by demonstrating that, if you are ill in public, at least you are trying to keep your germs to yourself. "Japan is fastidious to the point of being obsessive," said Kyle Cleveland, a sociologist at Temple University, Japan Campus. "People are willing to acknowledge and recognize the value of not making their co-workers or classmates sick."
Metro, "Temple finds way in Tokyo"
April 20, 2009
Since 1982, Temple University has had a campus in Tokyo. Some Temple students spend their entire college career in Tokyo, but the campus also provides the opportunity for students from Philly to study abroad. Masami Nakagawa of Temple University, Japan Campus (TUJ), explained the breakdown. "Students sent via the Main Campus make up about 10 percent of the total enrollment. They spend anywhere from one semester to one year at TUJ. Fifty percent are domestic Japanese students. The remaining 40 percent are non-Japanese students who applied directly to Japan campus, from both inside and outside Japan. They include students from 50 different countries."
Chicago Tribune, "Tokyo has financial and technical aspects of hosting covered"
April 17, 2009
Tokyo is one of the city's competing with Chicago to host the 2016 Olympic Games. The Tokyo bid is the brainchild of Governor Shintaro Ishihara, a novelist and former movie director with strident nationalistic views and a history of making racist comments. "Ishihara does have his baggage … but he holds up reasonably well to the former governor of Illinois," said Jeff Kingston, director of Asian studies at Temple University, Japan Campus. "My sense is the [International Olympic Committee] judges not on individuals but on the merits of overall bids."
American Public Media's 'Marketplace', "Japan pragmatic on new stimulus"
April 10, 2009
Renita Jablonski of "Marketplace" interviewed Professor Jeff Kingston of Temple University, Japan Campus, about Japan's new economic stimulus package, which calls for $150 billion in government spending. "What they're trying to do is stimulate consumption and…put money in the pockets of people who are losing their jobs, giving them housing subsidies, training subsidies," Kingston said. "All these things are temporary measures which are meant to jolt the economy back into life, because really it's very dire here."
Voice of America, "Japan Renews Sanctions on North Korea"
April 10, 2009
Although Japan will renew economic sanctions on North Korea following Pyongyang's rocket launch, analysts say these measures apply very little pressure. "North Korea wasn't getting much from Japan, a lot of the support that the North Koreans were getting from pro-North Korean residents in Japan had melted down earlier, so it's fairly minor, if not insignificant," said Robert Dujarric, director of the Institute of Contemporary Japanese Studies at Temple University, Japan Campus.
Bloomberg TV, "Dujarric Says North Korea Test Was of Little Consequence: Video"
April 8, 2009
North Korea launched a missile last week in the face of international calls for restraint and warned it will take "strong steps" if the United Nations Security Council censures the communist state over the launch. Regarding how China might respond, Robert Dujarric, director of the Institute of Contemporary Japanese Studies at Temple University, Japan Campus, said that as much as the Chinese government is displeased with what the North Koreans have done, severe sanctions could lead to the demise of North Korea which is something they don’t want, so they feel there are few options.
The Telegraph (U.K.), "Japan plans new benefits for jobless"
April 7, 2009
Japan will restructure its welfare system after a surge in unemployment and homelessness -- a departure for a nation in which companies offered life-time job security to generations of salarymen. "There has been an on-going erosion of the paternalistic work structure Japan championed in the post-war era," said Jeffrey Kingston, director of Asian Studies at Temple University, Japan Campus. "Now, there is an unraveling of that structure and over the past six months, the situation has obviously got a lot worse."
Agence France Presse, "First tough test and White House critics are circling"
April 5, 2009
North Korea's rocket launch confronts US President Barack Obama with his first major foreign crisis, with domestic opponents warning they will watch for any sign of weakness. Obama condemned the launch as a provocation and pledged to take North Korea to the U.N. Security Council. Robert Dujarric of Temple University, Japan Campus, doubted the U.S. would want to press China hard on North Korea as it tries to work with Beijing on the global economic crisis. "On a scale of one to 10, the economic meltdown is a level 9 threat and North Korea level 1," Dujarric said.
CNN, "Japan, Sweden may offere economic recovery lessons"
April 2, 2008
As President Obama discusses the economic crisis at the G-20 summit, Japan's experience wrestling with similar issues could offer recovery lessons for the United States. Japan's financial troubles in the 1990s had their roots in the 1980s, when real estate prices skyrocketed. Japanese banks that had given out loans during the boom found themselves in trouble. "In both cases, it was a huge asset bubble in real estate and stocks, which was caused by easy credit and excessive liquidity, added to bankers' arrogance, reckless lending and lax oversight," said Jeff Kingston, a professor at Temple University, Japan Campus.
ABC's "World News"
April 1, 2008
Japan has promoted solar panels so effectively that power companies now buy excess electricity from some consumers, report's ABC's Mark Litke. Jeff Kingston, director of Asian studies at Temple University, Japan Campus, says that conservation has become a state of mind. "It's normal here," he said. "It's part of how you should be, how you should live." And Japanese companies ignore that at their peril. Appliances in Japan now have prominent stickers with fuel efficiency ratings. A two-star rating may cost a little less, but it's the five stars that most Japanese want.
Inter Press Service (Italy), Japan: Tensions Rise Over North Koream Rocket
March 28, 2009
Japan’s military is ready to shoot down a North Korean rocket if it disintegrates or veers over its territories early next month. North Korea is expected to launch the rocket -- alleged to be a long-range, ballistic missile in disguise -- any between April 4 and 8. According to Jeffrey Kingston of Temple University, Japan Campus, getting the nuclear genie back into the bottle will not be easy for the very good reason that North Korea gains from keeping this program going. "Can the rest of the world convince the regime that it has more to gain by giving it up?"
CBS3, "Brotherly Love: Lesson Learned from Ghana Voyage"
March 26, 2009
This semester, five Temple University students travelled to Ghana, a country struggling with severe poverty. While in Ghana, they tutored local students and helped build a school. It was such a great experience they plan to return. “I want nothing more than to go back,” said one student who is holding a fundraiser so that she can go again this summer.
National Geographic News, Science Daily, more, "Corn Domesticated From Mexican Wild Grass
8,700 Years Ago"
March 24, 2009
National Geographic’s Newswatch blog reports that researchers led by Temple archeologist Anthony Ranere and Temple anthropology alumna Dolores Piperno have uncovered the earliest evidence of domesticated maize — in Mexico's Central Balsas River Valley. "We went to the area where the closest relative to maize grows, looked for the earliest maize and found it," Ranere said.
Voice of America, "Laid-Off Japanese Workers Becoming Homeless"
March 23, 2009
Japan's unemployment rate stands at around four percent. But that number could rise as some companies are expected to report record losses at the end of this month. Jeffrey Kingston of Temple University Japan says neither the Japanese people nor the government is ready to cope with an unemployment rate that goes much higher. "And what really people have discovered is how threadbare the safety net is, there is not much there for these people, they [have] programs that are designed for a country where unemployment was always very low."
Los Angeles Times, "The fiesta of the people'
March 16, 2009
The popularity of lucha libre and its masked wrestlers has spread from Mexico to the U.S. That comes as no surprise to Temple anthropologist Heather Levi. "[Lucha] did several things at once," says Levi, who trained as a wrestler in Mexico while researching her book The World of Lucha Libre: Secrets, Revelations, and Mexican National Identity. "It figured both as a display of these larger-than-life heroes but heroes that everybody…knew came from their social class or quite possibly [were] their neighbors."
Reuters, "Japan picks 'schoolgirl' among cute ambassadors"
March 12, 2009
Faced with the prospect of being overtaken in both economic and military might by China, Japan has been making concerted efforts to boost its "soft power," a strategy that analysts see as important. "You get people to love your culture and use that as a way of gaining power around the world," said Phil Deans, professor of international relations at Temple University, Japan Campus.
Associated Press, "Cash handout? Stupid, wasteful idea, Japanese say"
March 3, 2009
Cash back from the government? A stupid idea, many Japanese say. Prime Minister Taro Aso is touting a one-time handout of 12,000 yen as the centerpiece of a stimulus package. "The (ruling party) just thought…wave the money in front of their noses, and they'll come running," said Jeff Kingston of Temple University Japan Campus in a widely distributed AP report. "I think they underestimated the depth of anger from the people about the government's inability to provide credible leadership and a credible recovery plan."
Voice of America News, "Japan May Launch Interceptors to Counter North Korean Missile Test"
March 3, 2009
North Korea is believed to be preparing to test-fire a long-range missile, and Japan seems to be preparing to counter with a missile test of their own. "Japan really has no reason to be particularly worried. I think North Korea knows perfectly well the logic of deterrents," said Robert Dujarric of Temple University, Japan Campus. "An act of war against Japan would be considered by the United States an attack on the United States, and would bring about the destruction of North Korea."
Inter Press Service, "ECONOMY-JAPAN: Small, Medium Firms Hit by Credit Crunch"
March 3, 2009
In Japan, small and medium enterprises have been hit hard by tightened credit. "In the current implosion, these companies are seeing orders evaporate from their large customers and since they don't have much of a cushion to fall back on during lean times, they are cutting costs anyway they can, meaning layoffs, firing, early retirement, wage and bonus cuts, work sharing and wage cuts," said Jeff Kingston of Temple University, Japan Campus.
Voice of America News, "Japan's Exports Plunge in January"
February 25, 2009
The Japanese economy continues to be rocked by the global recession. Exports, the backbone of Japan's economy, have plunged. A reliance on exports is what makes the Japanese economy so vulnerable, says Robert Dujarric of Temple University, Japan Campus. "Exports have gone down basically because American consumers, European consumers and now consumers from all over the world just have fewer resources to devote to purchasing Japanese exports," he said.
Financial Times, "Japan to pay price for US friendship"
February 24, 2009
February was a month of pleasant surprises for Japanese fretting about their nation's relationship with the United States. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited, and Prime Minister Taro Aso was the first foreign leader invited to Washington by President Obama. But leaders may soon be reminded that U.S. friendship does not come free. "If I'm the Japanese, I've got my hand on my wallet," says Jeff Kingston of Temple University, Japan Campus. "All this buttering up, sure it soothes my worries but I'm going to have to pay for it."
Bloomberg, "Aso’s Obama Summit May Be Last as Calls to Quit Grow (Update1)"
February 23, 2009
Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso’s first meeting with President Obama may be his last. Aso goes to the White House tomorrow as the first foreign leader to visit the new president. At home, calls for Aso to resign are mounting. "Aso definitely won't be the guy leading the LDP into the elections," said Jeff Kingston of Temple University, Japan Campus. "He's governing on borrowed time."
CNN, Asian News International, "Is Bollywood coming to Hollywood?"
February 22, 2009
Is it time for Bollywood -- as India's huge Mumbai-based film industry is called -- to come to America? Temple English Professor Priya Joshi, an expert on Indian culture, novels and cinema, said the cultural differences could make it difficult. "Bollywood films don't have any kissing in them or tend not to. Warner Bros. used to make movies like this in the past....If [Hollywood] is ready to ready to return to its roots, then it's ready for Bollywood."
Agence France Presse, "Japan PM wins coveted first Obama invitation"
February 22, 2009
Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso has won the honor of becoming the first foreign leader to visit Barack Obama's White House. Robert Dujarric of Temple University, Japan Campus, said Japan's main issues with Obama will be economic -- but that the invitation to Aso was mostly a matter of good manners. "It costs nothing to show 'respect' to the Japanese. It's not like the Chinese care if Clinton stops in Tokyo before Beijing or if Aso gets to the White House first," he said.
Chronicle of Higher Education, "In China, Thinking Like an American Lawyer"
February 20, 2009
The Chronicle profiled Temple's pioneering Rule of Law programs in China, which have taught American-style law to some 800 Chinese judges, prosecutors and other legal professionals. The Rule of Law programs have established Temple's Beasley School of Law "as a player… in China's political and economic evolution," wrote Goldie Blumenstyk. It's good "to feel that your school is part of the forward momentum" of China, said Temple Law Dean JoAnne Epps, who has taught trial advocacy in the LL.M. program that Temple runs jointly with Beijing's Tsinghua University. One sign of Temple's commitment: It has sent more than a third of its law faculty to teach in China. Temple Law faculty and staff whose critical roles were highlighted included Robert Reinstein, Mo Zhang and John Smagula.
China Daily, "Japan's 'drunk' finance chief quits"
February 18, 2009
For days, Japan's Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa's performance at a press conference in Rome, during which he appears to be drunk, has been painfully public on a YouTube video. Today, it finally cost him his job. "[The economy isn't] going to be better or worse because he's gone," says Robert Dujarric, director of the Institute of Contemporary Japanese Studies at Temple University, Japan Campus. "But this is one more nail in Aso's coffin...It shows that he's incompetent and so is his administration."
BBC News (U.K.), "Japan PM hit hard by minister's gaffe"
February 18, 2009
Shoichi Nakagawa, Japan's finance minister, resigned in the wake of a disastrous -- and perhaps drunken -- press conference. It was the latest of many setbacks for Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). "The LDP has lost so much public support, it has lost the image of the party that rebuilt Japan after the war," said Professor Phil Deans of Temple University, Japan Campus. "People have given up on it. Its great strength, though, as the opposition is unpopular as well. The real loser is Japanese democracy."
NPR's "Marketplace"
February 17, 2009
Japan's Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa resigned after appearing to be drunk at a press conference in Rome on Saturday. "Some people probably think that the Japanese economy has been hammered so badly that maybe it's understandable, but you'd like to think that the second largest economy is in safe hands," said Jeff Kingston of Temple University, Japan Campus.
Bloomberg, "Obama Invites Embattled Aso as First Summit Guest"
February 17, 2009
President Barack Obama invited Taro Aso to be the first leader to meet him in Washington, a coup for the embattled Japanese premier. "It's a big diplomatic signal to Asia that here is our military ally, here's a great democracy and here's a country that shares our values," said Phil Deans, a professor of international affairs at Temple University, Japan Campus. "But I don't think anything can save Aso."
Time, "Japan's 'Drunk' Finance Chief Steps Down"
February 17, 2009
The resignation of Shoichi Nakagawa, Japan's finance minister, can't help an already dismal outlook for the Japanese economy. But experts predict the ramifications will be primarily political. "[The economy isn't] going to be better or worse because he's gone," says Robert Dujarric, director of the Institute of Contemporary Japanese Studies at Temple University, Japan Campus. "But this is one more nail in Aso's coffin...It shows that he's incompetent and so is his administration."
Bloomberg, "Clinton to Meet Japan Opposition’s Ozawa as Aso Falls in Polls"
February 17, 2009
The Obama administration, facing the prospect that Japan's Liberal Democratic Party will be thrown out, is courting the opposition. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is meeting with Ichiro Ozawa, head of the Democratic Party of Japan. "The Clinton meeting signals that U.S. interests here are not prisoner to party politics and that there is too much at stake to let a 55-year marriage get in the way," said Jeff Kingston of Temple University, Japan Campus. "It's a good move since the LDP looks like it's going down."
Metro, "Learning Arabic: Many reasons for increasing popularity"
February 16, 2009
Colleges around the country have seen a dramatic increase in the number of students studying Arabic. The Arabic program at Temple is no exception. "This academic year we hired an additional full-time instructor of Arabic and added a third section of Arabic Elements," said Temple's Gordon Witty, who teaches Literature in the Arab World as part of the University's general education program.
NBC Nightly News, "Clinton starts Asia tour in Tokyo"
February 16, 2009
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is breaking with tradition by making her first state visit to Asia instead of Europe or the Middle East. One challenge she'll be facing is the tendency of many Asians to blame the U.S. for the collapse of the global economy. " A lot of people look at this as a made in America crisis, and America's got to reach out more to its allies in the region to solve this," said Jeff Kingston of Temple University, Japan Campus.
CNN, "Money from heaven' leaves retiree empty"
February 12, 2009
In Japan, Kazutsugi Nami and 21 other executives were arrested for swindling more than 10,000 investors. Although there are differences between the allegations of fraud against Wall Street's Bernie Madoff and Nami, there are also parallels as well, said Jeffrey Kingston of Temple University, Japan Campus. "They were both smooth operators," he said. "They were moving in high-echelon circles and they wiped out the savings of a lot of people. I think the biggest parallel is the consequence for the investor. They're left holding the bag and they have nothing left."
Australian Broadcasting Corporation, "Japanese Crown Prince begins 'bridge-building'
visit to Vietnam"
February 11, 2009
Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito is visiting Vietnam. In December, Japan cut aid to Vietnam after a Tokyo firm was caught bribing a Vietnamese official. "This company has had problems in the past so I think the government was not only sending a message to Vietnam, but was also sending a message to the consultants that play a key role in Japanese aid programs," said Asia expert Jeff Kingston of Temple University, Japan Campus, who added that "nobody has high expectations."
Newsweek, "How Japan Could Save the World"
February 9, 2009
An article in Newsweek's international edition explores how Japan "can save the world." As Jeff Kingston, a professor at Temple University, Japan Campus, puts it, "When they say 'boots on the ground,' it doesn't have to be military boots. It can be the boots of construction workers, teachers, health officials." In the years to come, he says, "nothing is going to be more important than contributing nation-building capabilities and humanitarian aid" in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Agence France Presse, "Taiwan's corruption case to challenge its judicial system"
January 31-February 2, 2009
The replacement of a judge who had granted Taiwan's former president bail in a corruption case is raising questions about the island's legal system. "[One] of the problems Taiwan has is that the people don't have a lot of confidence in the system," said Phil Deans of Temple University, Japan Campus. "The political scene is so angry and bitter that…one side or the other would not trust the outcome."
Inter Press Service (Italy), "JAPAN: NHK World TV - New Kid on Broadcast Block"
February 1, 2009
With the launch of NHK World TV, Japan joins the club of countries outside the Anglophone world with a full-fledged, on-the-hour, English-language news channel. Jeffrey Kingston of Temple University, Japan Campus, does not see the channel filling a niche in the way Al Jazeera does, providing an alternative non-Western view with special appeal to and emphasis on the Muslim world. "It is entering an already competitive service niche with established heavyweights," Kingston said.
Christian Science Monitor, "Japanese dare to ask: Do we really need and emperor?"
January 31, 2009
Many Japanese are daring to ask what has been unspeakable for centuries: Does the country really need an emperor? The royals have no private money, no private phones, and essentially no private lives. Even relationships within the family are managed by the 1,200-person Imperial Household Agency, which has not been diffident in sharing its views. "The values of the imperial family are not part of the equation," says Jeffrey Kingston, director of Asian Studies at Temple University, Japan Campus.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation, "Juries to feature in Japanese legal system"
January 29, 2009
For the first time, juries are playing a central role in Japan's courts. Until this year, judges had been in complete control, delivering a conviction rate of more than 99 per cent. "They decided to shake everything up, turn it upside down and see if they could reconstruct a system putting Japan in a position to go forward and become even stronger over the coming decades," said Matthew Wilson of Temple University, Japan Campus. "How can you have a system well 99.9 per cent conviction rate? That tells you that maybe there is a need for fresh look."
NPR's "Weekend Edition", "Author Talks About Post-World War II Era"
January 25, 2009
The Bitter Road to Freedom -- a new book by Temple historian William Hitchcock, an expert on the history of 20th-century Europe and Franco-U.S. relations -- challenges what many have come to believe about the end of World War II in Europe. Along with the cheering crowds, there was also brutality, injustice and violence. "I don't think we realize just what it was like to be on the receiving end of that storm of violence that came ashore [on D-Day]," Hitchcock said. "In fact, we now know that about 3,000 French civilians were killed on June 6, 1944, alone."
Reuters, "Political chaos may undermine Japanese diplomacy"
January 15, 2009
Political chaos in Japan may stifle the global ambitions that inspired it to send troops to Iraq and the Indian Ocean, potentially damaging the nation's diplomatic clout. "Japan, because of a combination of its constitution and the political turmoil that it's going through, can't do anything," said Phil Deans, a professor of international affairs and Asian studies at Temple University, Japan Campus. "It's often been described as an economic giant and a political pygmy. It's looking even more like that these days."
Japan Times, "Acadmic career in Japan served as vital lesson in culture, says dean "
January 6, 2009
The Japan Times, one of the few independent English-language newspapers in Japan, interviewed Bruce Stronach, dean of Temple University, Japan Campus, about his unique experiences as an academic administrator on both sides of the Pacific. "What I like about being here is that I can blend all of the years of experience I have in American universities and Japanese universities," said Stronach.
Japan Times, "Multinationalism remains far from acceptance in Japan"
January 4, 2009
In a country notorious for its exclusive immigration policy, the question of whether to allow Japanese to hold dual citizenship has become a hot policy topic. More than 90 countries now back dual nationality by default. "A clear majority of countries now accepts dual citizenship," said Peter Spiro, an expert on international law at Temple's
Beasley School of Law. "Plural citizenship has quietly become a defining feature of globalization."
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