Comments for Asia File

Comment on Welcome to an updated site.! by Alexander Maresca

Alexander Maresca — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 01:15:08 +0000

Dear Michael Zielenziger,
I have read and re read your, very interesting and timely, book, ” Shutting Out The Sun” several times and find it very worry some that there is so little attention and understanding, to a problem of unknown proportions and impact on the Japanese society as well as future. Even with a new political party at the helm, I doubt that there is a long term vision and solution to Japans current and future problems. Please continue with your well founded journalism.

Kind regards A. M.

Comment on Optimism in Japan? by mzeeman

mzeeman — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 17:17:52 +0000

Yes David, you’re right. The Japanese talk about “Japan bashing” turning to “Japan passing” to “Japan nothing.” Though it remains the world’s third largest economy, Japan is slowly passing into intellectual irrelevance. I myself am surprised that even though my book was published in 2006, not so much about Japan has changed…

I will attempt to post here interesting comments about Japan as they appear.

Comment on Optimism in Japan? by David Mayo

David Mayo — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 16:27:41 +0000

Mr. Zielenziger,
I met and talked to you briefly this past April during the GBN seminar on scenarios.
I’ve been asked to help one of our course directors here at the National War College compile possible course material covering global-regional contextual issues.
I’ve recommended your book, and I’m struck by the lack of recent academic journal articles on Japan. I believe the reason we have found little on Japan is because not much has changed and no one in Japan is willing to change much of anything. …And Commodore Perry is not going to sail into Tokyo Bay and pull them out of their funk. Spin over the futility of politics and the Fukushima disaster dominate the discussion.
Do you have any journal articles, other publications or blogs you could recommend to us?

Best Regards,
David Mayo