Yoshihiko Noda

Japan has changed Prime Ministers more often these past six years than a beauty pageant contestant changes her outfits during a competition. After Koizumi there hasn't been an individual who's lasted more than a year. Abe, Fukuda, Aso, Hatoyama, Kan, and now very recently elected Yoshihiko Noda. Every time I hear about a new PM being elected I hope that they'll last longer than a year. I imagine it must be difficult getting things done when leadership changes so often. Maybe Noda will last longer, since he seems to take a pretty strong stance on fiscal issues. And I guess since the economy's been basically stagnant for almost two decades...this may be a good thing?? I don't know much about Japanese politics, but it seems like a country that has sort of lost its spirit. Not spirit in the sense of the people's, of course--the tragic tsunami if anything undeniably proved that Japanese people's resiliency and compassion are as strong as they can be--but more like a lacking invigoration from the leadership. A few years ago when I was doing research on China-Japan relations I remember reading a report about how low patriotism was among Japanese youth. And how does Japan form a strong national identity when it has come to depend on the US militarily for its security, and when the rest of the world (especially China) watches it with a wary eye tinted by the legacy of World War II? I think what the perpetual rapid-fire succession of PM after PM indicates is that the Japanese people want a leader who will take a stance, even if it's an unpopular one. To have clear direction, stand up to the rest of the world, and be somewhat of a hardliner. That's what Koizumi was, and there hasn't really been someone like him since then. Or maybe I am wrong because I'm kind of sleepy and changing Prime Ministers every year is something that's ok.

Crossing my fingers for good news this week.