History shows that on the eve of the collapse of the Roman Empire, its denizens reveled as if they were crazy. Just before Paris fell to German forces during World War II, dressed-up people danced all night at nightclubs in the city. And when the Cuban government of President Fulgencio Batista fell, casinos in Havana boomed with gamblers.
Declines and falls of various nations and states come to my mind as I look back on the recent past in Japan at the turn of the century. In Japan, politics have become unbearably corrupt and the economy is sputtering, far from achieving the government-promised recovery. The U.S. economy, showing signs of slowing down, is unlikely to serve as the engine of the world economy, especially after the political paralysis over the outcome of the presidential election. Making little headway in structural reforms, Japan will face a bumpy ride in the new century.
Having retired from politics, I live in Yugawara, Kanagawa Prefecture. I work in the field in fine weather and read at home in wet weather. I do not often read newspapers and watch television. I am not concerned about passing, trivial events; I find satisfaction in reading classic literature, history books and biographies. Sometimes, I make new discoveries and find new pleasures in growing vegetables in a small garden.