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Gearoid Reidy
For Gearoid Reidy's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 7, 2022
Mr. Play-It-Safe prime minister is living dangerously
Fumio Kishida's approval ratings are tanking. The prime minister must be more proactive to ensure his political longevity.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 25, 2022
Can the Japanese learn to love nuclear power again?
The Japanese government is backing the construction of new reactors for the first time since Fukushima. It will have to convince a skeptical public first.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 24, 2022
A 'sober-curious' generation leaves Japan with a hangover
Should the tax arm of the government be encouraging people to drink, even in moderation?
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 19, 2022
Manchester United is a joke even to Elon Musk
Frustrated supporters briefly hoped against hope the mogul was serious when he tweeted he was buying the struggling club.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 17, 2022
Lay Japan’s war debates to rest along with Abe
Commemorating the end of World War II can be a sensitive moment in Japan. How to honor the slain prime minister is now another one.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 10, 2022
Forget about Brad Pitt in his latest movie; the bullet train is the real star
A new movie finally gives top billing to Japan's most famous train. But it comes during troubled times for the fabled Shinkansen.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 20, 2022
Even senseless assassins can get lucky once
The murder of Shinzo Abe has put the spotlight on fringe religious and political groups. That doesn't necessarily help us find a future killer.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 18, 2022
It’s up to Kishida to achieve Abe’s great unrealized dream
An Upper House election victory may bolster the premier's ability to make hard calls. He should start with Japan's military.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 17, 2022
What the world got wrong about Shinzo Abe
Shinzo Abe's time in power was often tainted by an undeserved distrust. But all he sought to do was to make Japan a normal country
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 10, 2022
Shinzo Abe made Japan assertive. Can it stay the course?
The current prime minister will be hard pressed to match his achievements.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 8, 2022
Pension riches are no panacea for Japan’s startups
The world's biggest pension fund might invest in the next unicorns and decacorns. That's a good beginning — but the country's fledgling scene needs more.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 6, 2022
Warren Buffett’s advice for the barbarians at Japan’s gate
Activist investing and private equity are growing in Japan, but that doesn't mean Western-style management has all the answers.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 29, 2022
The eternal optimism of Masayoshi Son
The SoftBank founder sees an upside to almost every trouble the conglomerate has faced over the past year, from slumping share prices to failed mergers.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 22, 2022
The fertility crisis started in Japan, but it won’t stay here
A declining population and plummeting fertility rate isn't a unique Japanese phenomenon. All rich countries will contend with this crisis.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 19, 2022
Japan’s blurred vision for the future of capitalism
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has finally given the broad strokes of his signature economic growth program. It's not Abe's “Three Arrows.”
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 17, 2022
Relax, Japanese tourism is not becoming like North Korea
It's easy to be frustrated with Japan's slow reopening, but the country needs to learn to let down its guard first.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 15, 2022
The yen won’t be moved by ‘90s nostalgia
The currency hit its weakest level since 1998, prompting speculation Japan might intervene again. But the world is a very different place today.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 8, 2022
The long-lasting legacy of a short-term prime minister
Yoshihide Suga's time leading Japan was brief, but his accomplishments are surprisingly formidable. It's time to give his reputation another look.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 1, 2022
What a Netflix hit really reveals about Japanese risk-taking
Japanese parents crave job security for their kids. If anything, the country could afford to be a little more out there as far as risk taking goes.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 28, 2022
Tourists and the Japanese art of pandemic envy
Japan is debating when and how to take off masks. The country should proceed cautiously.

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