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Shinji Fukukawa
For Shinji Fukukawa's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 3, 2016
The future of globalism stands at a crossroads
Japan must make efforts to fortify the crumbling foundation of globalism.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 16, 2016
Challenge of global change
The world is increasingly beset with problems, but with the right effort the international community can overcome them.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 9, 2016
Japan should seek a society upholding human values
Japan can embrace its most positive characteristics and build on them to ensure an innovation-rich future.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 4, 2015
Dreams for the 21st century
The 21st century will see many fabulous innovations that we can barely imagine today.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 14, 2015
How to cope with Japan's demographic transformation
Japan must take steps to make it easier for women to work while raising families and to extend the nation's healthy life expectancy.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 21, 2015
Globalism in need of revival
Heavily dependent on other countries for markets and resources, Japan must take a leading role in promoting globalism.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Mar 4, 2015
Countermeasures for Japan's changing demographics
The government can no longer afford to postpone efforts to effectively address Japan's population problem.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 8, 2014
Post-'Abenomics' reforms
Japan needs to address six major challenges in the post-Abenomics era with an eye toward structural reforms aimed at reviving Japan's influence on the global scene.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 18, 2014
Building economic society driven by human values
The world is groping for a new growth structure to replace the economic society led by financial activities. A new model should be driven by the pursuit of human values.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 8, 2014
Japan's innovation challenge
The Abe administration's capacity for deciding how to raise the birthrate, improve child-care facilities, realize an appropriae work-life balance and promote other 'innovations' that enable Japan to solve its many problems is now being tested.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 2, 2014
Conclude an East Asia FTA
Despite diplomatic problems among the three, business delegations from Japan, China and South Korea recently agreed that a free trade agreement should be concluded soon.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Mar 3, 2014
Repairing the tripartite ties
Japan's relations with China and South Korea are at their lowest ebb since Japan normalized its diplomatic relations with them. One way to break the jogjam could be a tripartite free trade agreement.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jan 17, 2014
A vision for Japan's future
Thanks to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's 'Abenomics' initiative for national economic recovery, Japan's economy as well as its currency and stock markets started the New Year on a positive note for the first time in a long while.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 30, 2013
Knock down barriers to FDIs
If Japan wants to regain its international competitiveness and recover its innovative capabilities, it must encourage leading foreign firms to come to the Japanese market.
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 17, 2013
Enhancing Japan's strengths, remedying its weaknesses
Japanese society is beset with some regrettable weak points. It must find ways to remedy those, bolster its strengths and enhance global 'Japanability.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 7, 2013
'Abenomic' hopes and fears
"Abenomics" is now a buzzword at home and abroad. Even before taking office, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had strongly demanded that the Bank of Japan take action to end deflation and set an inflation target that would drive the yen lower.
COMMENTARY
Dec 28, 2012
Innovation is key to revival
Having observed trends in Japanese industries for a half century, I have never felt deeper concern about their future than at present. Many of Japan's leading enterprises that once dominated the global market are now suffering huge losses and lagging in performance behind competitors in South Korea, China and Taiwan.
COMMENTARY
Oct 17, 2012
Give nuclear power a larger role
Roughly a year and a half after the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Japanese government at a Cabinet meeting on Sept. 19 adopted its basic policy on new energy and environment strategies crafted as a response to the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant accident. The government had initially intended to give Cabinet endorsement to the "Innovative Energy and Environment Strategy" adopted earlier by Cabinet ministers concerned, which called for ending nuclear power plant operations by the end of 2030s.
COMMENTARY
Aug 9, 2012
Populism is destroying globalism
Globalism is now faltering. The international community can neither exert its power to block the Syrian government forces from taking repressive actions nor take any effective steps to deter nuclear developments in Iran and North Korea. Security deterioration continues in Iraq while threats of terrorism remain in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Israeli-Palestinian confrontation is in a critical situation and the Yemeni civil war shows no sign of settlement.
COMMENTARY
Aug 9, 2012
Populism is destroying globalism
Globalism is now faltering. The international community can neither exert its power to block the Syrian government forces from taking repressive actions nor take any effective steps to deter nuclear developments in Iran and North Korea. Security deterioration continues in Iraq while threats of terrorism remain in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Israeli-Palestinian confrontation is in a critical situation and the Yemeni civil war shows no sign of settlement.

Longform

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