Monthly review: Japan makes it through August

By David Azócar

A busy August 2008 included Japan’s commemoration of the 63rd anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It also witnessed the appointment of Taro Aso, as Secretary-General of the ruling party. He managed to overshadow the opposition Democratic Party of Japan’s candidate, due to that party’s continual blocking of symbolic laws proposed by the government.

Some may believe that approval of symbolic projects, such as the permanent financing of Transantiago in Chile will travel a rocky road. However, if we analyze the East we can see that the ruling coalition of Japan, headed by the Liberal Democrat Party (PLD), has moments just as daunting, if not more so. Taro Aso’s name has begun to sound increasingly strong during these trying moments.

The appointment of Aso as Secretary General of the ruling party created a change in the government’s Cabinet, which included the appointment of new finance and economy ministers. But it also represented a controversy in public opinion. After only one day in office, he launched his first "missile" at the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). At a meeting with the opposition Aso stated, "If you look at history, you will see that as a result of the people moving away from the party of government, regimes like the Nazis have come into power," the Nikkei reported. The words provoked the irritation of those to whom they were directed, who stated that the comments were unforgivable.
 

In a more solemn setting, the 63rd anniversary of the fall of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was commemorated on the 6th and 9th of August in Japan. The occasion was used by the authorities of the port city of Nagasaki to ask North Korea to move forward into an absolute abandonment of its nuclear plans.

In the economic sphere, the “Land of the Rising Sun" viewed the slowdown in the U.S. economy with concern. Current conditions resulted in a 0.6% fall in exports to the economic giant between April and June, boosting fears of a possible recession. US Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has fallen by 2.4%, as compared to the same period in 2007.

But not all the numbers were negative. Three of the automotive leaders in Japan reported increased production figures for the month. The production of Toyota rose by 9%, Nissan by 27%, and Honda by 18% as compared to 2007.  Some analyses conclude that the increase in sales of these brands is due to high oil prices and their reputation for fuel efficiency. So much so that Nissan unveiled a prototype, 100% electric car. A new hybrid is available, one year ahead of its scheduled 2010 launch.

Closer to home here in Chile is the good news announced on August 8 by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan (MHLW). It lifted the restrictions on the entry of Chilean pork, in light of guarantees provided by the Chilean Agricultural and Livestock Service regarding the safety of this product.

The suspension on imports of Chilean pork began on July 11, 2008, after Korea detected dioxin at a level which was above the maximum permissible levels.

The day after the Japanese announcement, Chile received an important visit that sought to lobby the adoption of the ISDBT digital standard. This comes at a time when Chile is choosing the standard that will govern the digital spectrum in the coming years. Akira Terasaki, Japan’s Vice-Minister for Policy Coordination at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), stressed that the Japanese standard has proven its success in television transmission and cellular phones. He also stated that ISDBT already has more than 33 million users.

Finally, the Japanese put their first telecommunications satellite, designed and manufactured in Japan, into orbit. The satellite, developed by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, will deliver television signals and other services to the Asia-Pacific. Until now, Japanese transmitters had been forced to use the US platforms.