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The contrasting approaches of China and Germany after the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster in Japan
05/11/2011
Linked Articles
China Nuclear Firm Plans Up to $27 Billion IPO
Wall Street Journal 06/06/2012
Panel Urges Germany to Close Nuclear Plants by 2021New York Times 05/11/2011
The human faces of the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster in Japan
03/28/2011
Faces at the Tokyo Electric Power Company, workers at the site of the disaster in Fukushima prefecture, the Tepco president in Tokyo, and other faces.
Linked Articles
Amid Fight to Stem Threat, Tepco Worker's Email Reveals Personal Struggle
Wall Street Journal 03/28/2011
Vanishing act by Japanese executive during nuclear crisis raises questions - The Washington PostWashington Post 03/29/2011
Contrasting approaches of the U.S. and Germany after the nuclear plant disaster in Fukushima, Japan
03/20/2011
Linked Articles
Indian Point Evacuation Plan Is Unrealistic
New York Times 03/20/2011
Panel Urges Germany to Close Nuclear Plants by 2021New York Times 05/11/2011
Closer Japan-U.S. ties in 2012-2015
01/10/2011
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 05/23/2012
Fred Hiatt - Patching up our alliance with JapanWashington Post 01/10/2011
The threat posed by China's local government debt to China's banking and financial system
07/29/2010
Because of the opaqueness of the financial system the estimates of the local government debt varies from 27% to 42% of GDP. Prof Shih of Northwestern University, an expert on this subject, now estimates this to be $2.6 trillion or 42% of GDP. Other estimates from the National Audit Office put this at 27% and from China's central bank put this at 30%. Prof Shih's earlier estimate was 34%. Because of the large number of local government entities and the lack of transparency the figures may actually turn out to be higher as China's regulators and other analysts improve their estimates. The 42% estimate is $2.6 trillion in local government debt. China's large foreign exchange reserves of $3 trillion and low interest rates will give China some space for addressing the problem with another round of injection of capital into the banking system.
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 06/28/2011
Where China Hides Its DebtBusinessWeek 07/29/2010
The recovery of Japan Airlines after bankruptcy with the initial public offering of $8 billion planned for Serptember 2012
06/21/2010
Linked Articles
JAL, a Bailout Beneficiary, Heads for a Public Offering
New York Times 07/02/2012
JAL May Need $1.1 Billion More in AidWall Street Journal 06/21/2010
The problems facing Sony after developing the first e-reader in 2004 and the first OLED set in 2007- lack of a consumer mindset
04/22/2010
Competition from lower cost manufacturers adds to earlier problems of not keeping a consumer point of view for new products. A problem common to many of Japan's electronics companies.
Linked Articles
How Japan Lost Its Electronics Crown
Wall Street Journal 08/15/2012
How Vizio Beat Sony in High-Def TVBusinessWeek 04/22/2010
Resignation of Japan's Hatoyama on the Okinawa issue and the Obama administration.
01/07/2010
Senior foreign policy expert Joseph Nye, Jr. called for patient approach to Japanese Premier Hatoyama on the Oknawa issue. This did not happen as Obama kept Hatoyama at arms-length and no compromise was reached. The implications of all this as the Democratic party is still only 8 months in office.
Linked Articles
Ties to U.S. Played Role in Downfall of Japanese Leader
New York Times 06/02/2010
An Alliance Larger Than One IssueNew York Times 01/07/2010
The disillusionment of Mexico's voters with the the Vicente Fox and Felipe Calderon administrations of the National Action Party
07/09/2009
The failure to meet rising expectations in Mexico. Mexico's GDP would be 2.5% higher if the oil sector was opened up, labor laws were changed and competitiveness introduced to the country's oligopolies in airlines telecom and other sectors, says Mexico's Center for National Competitiveness.
Linked Articles
Pocketbook Issues Weigh on Mexico Voters
New York Times 06/30/2012
Calderón's hatful of troublesEconomist 07/09/2009
Paul Krugman responds to Arthur Laffer's points about inflation by saying reversing course would put us back into a steep downturn.
06/11/2009
Krugman says only three times in the past has amajor economy faced a liquidity trap, where there is no more room to cut interest rates. During the depression years, during Japan's lost decade and now. In the previous two situations, in 1937 and 1996, a premature tightening of credit put the economy back into a steep downturn.
Linked Articles
Get Ready for Inflation and Higher Interest Rates
Wall Street Journal 06/11/2009
Stay the CourseNew York Times 06/15/2009
Consumer spending surging in Indonesia in 2008-2012
02/24/2009
Consumer spending represents about 55-56% of GDP in Indonesia in 2011 and 2012. Honda Motor with motorbicycles, Phillips in healthcare equipment and the Lippo Group in retail stores are seeing amazing growth in Indonesia.
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 04/26/2012
Motorcycles Drive Honda's ProfitWall Street Journal 02/24/2009
For a Nobel prize winning economist a sick feeling in the stomach in February 2009.
02/13/2009
Is the US going the way of a train wreck as Japan did from the mid 1990's to 2003 with every set of actions falling short of the task of cleaning up the banking system and economic recovery? Krugman and Japanese experts who tackled the Japanese banking crisis sense something like this is happening in the US.
Linked Articles
New York Times 02/13/2009
In Japan’s Stagnant Decade, Cautionary Tales for AmericaNew York Times 02/13/2009
Declining foreign trade and how this affects U.S. GDP and GDP in other nations.
01/13/2009
How the decline in foreign trade unlike anything seen since 1945 is affecting the US and global economy.
Linked Articles
Trade Secret: GDP's Pillar Looks in Peril
Wall Street Journal 01/13/2009
Global Trade Posts Sharp DeclineWall Street Journal 01/14/2009
Republicans, John Taylor, and a U.S. budget that is at about 20% of GDP
04/22/2011
John Taylor makes the arguments for a budget that is around 20% of GDP, which it was in 2007- before the financial crisis of 2008.
Linked Articles
GOP Hopefuls Betting Voters Want Deep Cuts
Wall Street Journal 07/18/2011
Obama's Permanent Spending BingeWall Street Journal 04/22/2011
The safety failures that could have been prevented with stronger oversight and control for the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster
03/21/2011
The independent parliamentary panel in Japan concuded in its July 2012 Report that the nuclear accident at the Fukushima plant was "a profoundly man-made event." Here in its investigations after the accident the Wall Street Journal finds some of the safety flaws that could have been corrected but were not due to the compete lack of effectiveness of the safety agency and its failure to do its job. As a result licenses for forty year old nuclear reactor designs and installation designs were simply renewed without requiring changes or shutting down these reactors. It is these older designs that were also improperly installed that failed.
Linked Articles
Japan Plant Had Troubled History
Wall Street Journal 03/21/2011
Design Flaw Fueled Nuclear DisasterWall Street Journal 07/01/2011
Maternity leave and technological progress- catchup tasks for Japan and the U.S.
01/17/2011
Linked Articles
Paid Leave Encourages Female Employees to Stay
New York Times 07/28/2014
At Toshiba, a Pioneer for Women in Japan's Work ForceNew York Times 01/17/2011
Failures in China's financial system as seen by two bankers
12/11/2010
Failures in China's banking system as seen by two bankers Walter and Howie. The risks to the Chinese economy of real debt to GDP ratios that are upwards of 80% of GDP when local government and other debt that would end up as sovereign debt is taken into account. The inability of the system in China to control lending to state enterprises and local government.
Linked Articles
China's financial system: Look again
Economist 12/11/2010
Beijing's Financial Day of Reckoning Is NearWall Street Journal 06/21/2011
David Stockman says Republicans have given up their role in doing financially responsible budgeting for decades.
07/11/2010
The budget deficits, Reagan's Budget director says, developed to this point after decades of irresponsivble budget behaviour that has lasted gone on for four decades. He says the Greece style deficit of 120% of GDP for the USA by 2015 calls for austerity.
Linked Articles
Four Deformations of the Apocalypse
New York Times 07/31/2010
Crisis Awaits Worldâs Banks as Trillions Come DueNew York Times 07/11/2010
Japan's view of China as a low cost manufacturing base is challenged.
05/29/2010
The Honda strike for higher wages upsets this perception.
Linked Articles
Chinese Honda Strike a Wake-Up Call for Japan
New York Times 06/01/2010
Unrest May Signal New Phase in China EconomyNew York Times 05/29/2010
The inaction at GM 2009-2013 for the defective ignition switch recall and the inaction at Toyota for unintended acceleration recall
02/10/2010
GM's management lost track of quality issues that were buried at lower levels during the bankruptcy period. Toyota's management in the U.S. referred the NHTSA to quality managers in Japan who did not make the necessary effort to look into and address the problem. This shows that quality is not just a technical issue for the engineers and requires management atention at the highest levels, direct reporting to top managers. It also shows that quality problems never go away, will always be present, no matter how good you think you get. Small mistakes can be very costly as BP, TEPCO in the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Toyota, have shown in the recent past.
Linked Articles
General Motors Misled Grieving Families on a Lethal Flaw
New York Times 03/24/2014
Safety Agency Scrutinized as Toyota Recall GrowsNew York Times 02/10/2010
Hatoyama fails to implement his vision for Japan.
12/23/2009
Perceived as indecisive over issues related to cutting wasteful spending and reducing the deficit, and the shift of an American base out of Okinawa, Hatoyama's popularity drops to 25%. He resigns (teary- eyed) after only 8 months in office. It shows how difficult it has become to find aleader since Mr Koizumi left office.
Linked Articles
Japanâs Premier Will Quit as Approval Plummets
New York Times 06/01/2010
Harsh Realities Stand in the Way of a Leader’s Vision of a New JapanNew York Times 12/23/2009
The Economist cites IMF economist estimates that the public debt of the 10 largest industrialized countries will jump from 78% to 114% of GDP by 2014, leading to higher interest rates and inflation.
06/11/2009
The rising public debt and its unsustainability is what the future holds. For governments and decisionmakers there are very difficult choices, as fiscaly austerity and premature fiscal tightening or raising interest ratescan choke off a recovery. Raising taxes as happened earlier in Japan's lost decade also can choke off a recovery. Seriously tacklig health care costs and raising the retirement age, are much needed steps.
Linked Articles
Get Ready for Inflation and Higher Interest Rates
Wall Street Journal 06/11/2009
The biggest bill in historyEconomist 06/11/2009
The shift in management at Toyota to Akio Toyoda and the changing priorities as the market changes.
02/24/2009
What worked for Toyota in the past doesn't work anymore, and rapid expansion by CEO's before Akio Toyoda brings a whole range of problems even before the recall disaster of 2010. The company's narrow Nagoya, Japan, based management world view, with hardly any American representation on its Board, only makes things worse.
Linked Articles
Akio Toyoda - Toyota's plan to repair its public image
Washington Post 02/09/2010
A Scion Drives Toyota Back to BasicsWall Street Journal 02/24/2009
Cornell's Frank points out that savings may be good for America once they are chanelled into investment.
02/15/2009
For this to happen some of the excess household debt from the number 96% of GDP, that household debt in the USA has reached, has to be shaved off. This is happening as Americans are shifting to becoming debt free in their finances. This affects consumption through the paradox of thrift. But says Prof. Frank this is OK, as the government steps in in the meantime to give the boost to the economy, till consumers recover from debt. Future savings can then be channelled into new productive investment for modernization's next phase, just as China and India are doing.
Linked Articles
Imbalance in Nations' Savings Clouds Forecasts for Recovery
Wall Street Journal 03/23/2009
Go Ahead and Save. Let the Government Spend.New York Times 02/15/2009
America's situation may be worse than Japan's because of the combination of household debt and toxic assets.
02/12/2009
Household debt at 96% of GDP is an additional problem that America faces in addition to toxic assets, that may make the American crisis worse than Japan's lost decade or two.
Linked Articles
Economist 02/12/2009
Frugality Forged in Today's Recession Has Potential to Outlast ItWall Street Journal 04/06/2009
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