In my opinion, Roger Pulvers' Dec. 30 Counterpoint article, "Is juggernaut Japan being driven to destruction (and no one's to blame)?," lacks the power to persuade because it comes off as another stereotyped view of social trends by a foreign journalist.
Pulvers appears to have weaved his own story by picking up news reports of big events and connecting them with statements from people he respects. According to him, Japanese companies and political parties have fundamental policies that they try to push through over any objection, as in the days of Japan's militarism.
In fact, if these organizations took such an attitude today, they would immediately lose their competitiveness and be forced to retire from the stage. In an open society, this is self-evident.
Pulvers asserts that Tokyo Electric Power Co. treats Fukushima residents like the unwanted and simply wishes that they would go away. Did he hear words from Tepco's people suggesting that this is the case? If not, how was he otherwise convinced?
Pulvers needs to work on how to make his argument more appealing. He should listen to opinions from all sides. Furthermore, it's questionable whether Japan's politicians, bureaucrats and business leaders are as much to blame for national economic stagnation as the economic cycle is.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.