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Yoshio Nakamura
For Yoshio Nakamura's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Apr 2, 2007
Think tanks offer Japan plenty of personnel with policymaking potential
The 21st Century Public Policy Institute (21PPI) is a think tank established by Keidanren in 1997. As it enters its 10th year this month, a revamp is in progress to beef up its activities.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Feb 26, 2007
Push market integration in expanding East Asia
As robust economic expansion continues worldwide, emerging economic powers like the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and other Asian countries are riding a wave of globalization to achieve rapid growth.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Nov 6, 2006
Keidanren lauds Abe's first 40 days in office
Forty days have passed since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took office Sept. 26, and the administration, judging by the actions of the first new prime minister in 5 1/2 years, appears to be off to a very good start.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Oct 9, 2006
Abe must speed up reforms, forge new model of growth
Newly-elected Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the nation's first leader born after World War II, has launched his Cabinet with veteran lawmakers capable of taking the lead -- rather than relying on the bureaucracy -- in the implementation of fresh policy initiatives. Keidanren fully supports Abe's determination to lead the Japanese economy to further growth and prosperity through innovations.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Jul 24, 2006
Cutting corporate taxes best course for Japan
The government's 2006 basic policy on economic and fiscal management and structural reforms, approved by the Cabinet on July 7, established two national pillars of economic policy for the coming decade -- the pursuit of growth in a shrinking population, and the rebuilding of state finances to reinforce the nation's fiscal sustainability.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Jun 19, 2006
Keidanren to use same play book under Mitarai
On May 24 the Keidanren started anew under the leadership of Canon Inc. Chairman Fujio Mitarai, who has declared his goals to be the "innovation of Japan" and the continuation of the organization's drive for structural reforms under his predecessor Hiroshi Okuda.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Apr 24, 2006
Fiscal policymakers seek Japan's true potential
An intense debate is raging among three of the nation's top fiscal panels on how to reform state revenues and expenditures in an integrated manner. The bodies are the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy, the Liberal Democratic Party's fiscal reform panel, and the fiscal system council of the Finance Ministry.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Mar 27, 2006
Which management strategies raise corporate value?
Window-dressing and other fraudulent acts aimed at boosting share prices have led many Japanese to doubt whether it is really all that important to "maximize corporate value."
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Mar 6, 2006
Oita's example can give clues on how to close rural gap
Japan's overall economic conditions are steadily improving, but the large gap between urban and rural areas is often cited as a serious problem. While business is brisk in Tokyo and other big cities, rural parts of Japan still lack the vigor.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Feb 6, 2006
To improve Japan's finances, reform drive must stay alive
In fiscal 2006, the government will issue under 30 trillion yen in bonds for the first time in eight years, leaving the nation 11.2 trillion yen short of achieving a primary balance -- the condition where expenditures, excluding interest payments and debt redemptions, are covered by revenues excluding bonds.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Dec 26, 2005
Tax system overhaul must ensure economic vigor for a dwindling population
The ruling coalition released its tax reform proposals for fiscal 2006 on Dec. 15. Despite the tight fiscal conditions, it is laudable the ruling parties recommended measures aimed at boosting economic activity -- such as those that encourage corporate investment in research and development, expenditures for information technology and spending on housing.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Nov 28, 2005
Tax reforms must sustain positive economic cycle
The Japanese economy is on the path toward a full-scale recovery driven by the private sector. The next major challenge for the nation is to its rebuildfiscal health, which is now the worst among the key industrialized countries.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Nov 7, 2005
LDP fiscal policy report laudable in balancing tax hike, spending cuts
An interim report compiled Oct. 24 by the Liberal Democratic Party's study group on fiscal reform has drawn public interest as an indicator of the future direction of fiscal policy b the ruling party and the government.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Oct 17, 2005
Murakami, baseball and the pitfalls of Japanese managers
Financier Yoshiaki Murakami's bid to influence the Hanshin Tigers after recently becoming their parent firm's top shareholder has drawn public attention not only to his acquisitions, but also to the way that Japan's professional baseball teams are being run.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Sep 19, 2005
Postelection policy management and the Japanese economy
The Sept. 11 House of Representatives election ended in a landslide victory for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which secured 296 out of the 480 seats in the lower chamber of the Diet.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Aug 1, 2005
Tax Commission's plans show irrational thinking
In a report on income taxes for individuals released June 21, the Tax Commission called for a set of proposals to revamp the system. The proposals included: 1) ending tax breaks and further hiking taxes; 2) cutting deductions for salaried workers; and 3) reviewing a proposal to automatically deduct 380,000 yen from the taxable income of a worker with a low-income spouse.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Jul 4, 2005
Ministries should seek corporate input when revamping statistics
There have been complaints that the economic statistics compiled by the government no longer reflect the developments of the times or the changing structure of the Japanese economy.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Jun 6, 2005
Income gap among Japanese expanding, but not by much
Traditionally, the income gap between the rich and the poor has been rather small in Japan, creating what has become known as the "all-Japanese-as-middle class" mentality.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Apr 25, 2005
Nonmanufacturing industries rising to meet global challengers
A number of Japanese firms are expected to report sharp gains in profits for the third straight year when they announce their earnings for the business year that ended March 31.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Apr 4, 2005
Expo no ordinary economy booster
Aichi Expo 2005 -- the first world exposition of the 21st century -- has attracted tens of thousands of visitors since it opened March 25. Under the theme of "Nature's wisdom," the expo is providing the governments, companies and people of the 120 participating countries a place to exchange ideas and address a host of issues confronting the world, including environmental degradation and population issues.

Longform

A statue of "Dragon Ball" character Goku stands outside the offices of Bandai Namco in Tokyo. The figure is now as recognizable as such characters as Mickey Mouse and Spider-Man.
Akira Toriyama's gift to the world