Shingetsu News Agency

10/12/2024

Debito Arudou: How being bad became a sales point in choosing a US political leader.

How being bad became a sales point in choosing a US political leader

04/12/2024

China’s leadership in many green technology fields is being met by the West with feelings of wounded pride more than an appreciation of climate policy urgency.

China's leadership in many green technology fields is being met by the West with feelings of wounded pride more than an appreciation of climate policy urgency.

01/12/2024

In the winter of 1956-1957, the liberal figure of Tanzan Ishibashi assumed the premiership, aiming to normalize Japan’s relations with the Communist world and to depart from US Cold War policy. However, he was almost immediately felled by a stroke and resigned, leaving the government in the hands of the rightwing Nobusuke Kishi, who had the exact opposite vision for the country.

In the winter of 1956-1957, the liberal figure of Tanzan Ishibashi assumed the premiership, aiming to normalize Japan's relations with the Communist world and to depart from US Cold War policy. However, he was almost immediately felled by a stroke and resigned, leaving the government in the hands of...

30/11/2024

In an effort to shield their domestic automotive industries from the burgeoning threat of Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), the United States and several key allies are imposing stringent trade restrictions and tariffs.

In an effort to shield their domestic automotive industries from the burgeoning threat of Chinese electric vehicles, the United States and allies are imposing stringent trade restrictions and tariffs

24/11/2024

Jaguar’s “Copy Nothing” campaign is a major misstep in navigating cultural polarization while promoting the needed economic shift toward electric vehicles.
Link: https://shingetsunewsagency.com/2024/11/24/the-political-coding-of-climate-change

18/11/2024

When Ichiro Hatoyama finally gained the premiership from 1954-1956, he had become elderly and was in failing health. This did not stop him, however, from scoring two major achievements: he presided over the creation of the Liberal Democratic Party and reestablished diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union.

When Ichiro Hatoyama finally gained the premiership from 1954-1956, he had become elderly and was in failing health. This did not stop him, however, from scoring two major achievements: he presided over the creation of the Liberal Democratic Party and reestablished diplomatic relations with the Sovi...

13/11/2024

In a stunning reversal, Donald Trump won the popular vote in the November 2024 election, leading a Republican wave that took control of the presidency and both chambers of Congress. The outcome shocked many political analysts and signaled a deep dissatisfaction with the Democratic Party’s recent leadership.

In a stunning reversal, Donald Trump won the popular vote in the November 2024 election, leading a Republican wave that took control of the presidency and both chambers of Congress.

10/11/2024

Shigeru Yoshida’s second premiership from 1948-1954 was one of the most transformative in Japanese history, taking the nation from its progressive, unstable early postwar era into a long period of entrenched conservative rule, ostensibly exercising independence but in reality functioning as a client state absorbed into the informal American empire.

Shigeru Yoshida's second premiership from 1948-1954 was one of the most transformative in Japanese history, taking the nation from its progressive, unstable early postwar era into a long period of entrenched conservative rule, ostensibly exercising independence but in reality functioning as a client...

10/11/2024

It appears that Donald Trump will not be staffing his administration at senior levels with leading Neocon warmongers.

03/11/2024

Japan is advancing its Artificial Intelligence (AI) sector but still faces challenges compared to global AI leaders like the United States and China. While the United States dominates in private sector-led innovation, and China benefits from substantial government investments, Japan’s AI development is driven by collaborations between its government, corporations, and academic institutions.

Japan is advancing its Artificial Intelligence (AI) sector but still faces challenges compared to global AI leaders like the United States and China. While the United States dominates in private sector-led innovation, and China benefits from substantial government investments, Japan’s AI developme...

02/11/2024

What Fujimori did with power became a cautionary tale—of how an outsider, once let in, can corrupt everything.

29/10/2024

Hitoshi Ashida attempted in 1948 to give a reorganized Democratic Party-Socialist Party coalition a second chance at leading Japan’s government. But at this time the progressive phase of the US Occupation was ending, and pressure to create a conservative regime embracing Washington’s Cold War objectives became irresistible.

Hitoshi Ashida attempted in 1948 to give a reorganized Democratic Party-Socialist Party coalition a second chance at leading Japan's government. But at this time the progressive phase of the US Occupation was ending, and pressure to create a conservative regime embracing Washington's Cold War object...

20/10/2024

Tetsu Katayama served as Japan’s first socialist prime minister in 1947-1948. His moderate approach, however, proved unable to satisfy the increasingly contradictory demands of his political base and the US occupiers.

Tetsu Katayama served as Japan's first socialist prime minister in 1947-1948. His moderate approach, however, proved unable to satisfy the increasingly contradictory demands of his political base and the US occupiers.

09/10/2024

Conservative diplomat Shigeru Yoshida was thrust into the premiership in 1946-1947 after the US occupation forces blocked the ascendance of general election-winner Ichiro Hatoyama. Yoshida proved to be ill-prepared to cope with the rising force of labor militancy which had been set loose by the democratizing reforms.

Conservative diplomat Shigeru Yoshida was thrust into the premiership in 1946-1947 after the US occupation forces blocked the ascendance of general election-winner Ichiro Hatoyama.

03/10/2024

Debito Arudou: How Japan treats its non-citizen residents and diverse communities is a bellwether for how future neofascist demagogues in other countries will treat their minority voices and views.

How Japan treats its non-citizen residents and diverse communities is a bellwether for how future neofascist demagogues in other countries will treat their minority voices and views.

17/09/2024

English-speaking diplomat Kijuro Shidehara served as prime minister in 1945-1946, corresponding with the most progressive phase of a US military occupation which was initially guided by the principles of the New Deal and the American concern that Japan never again pose a military challenge to US hegemony in the Pacific.

English-speaking diplomat Kijuro Shidehara served as prime minister in 1945-1946, corresponding with the most progressive phase of a US military occupation which was initially guided by the principles of the New Deal and the American concern that Japan never again pose a military challenge to US heg...

10/09/2024

Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni stepped in to manage the surrender of the Japanese Empire in 1945. This was handled quite effectively, but it soon became clear that he was not even remotely on the same page with the incoming US occupation forces about what should come next.

02/09/2024

Debito Arudou: Could the Harris campaign be a case for a new playbook streamlining the wasteful American political process?

Could the Harris campaign be a case for a new playbook streamlining the wasteful American political process?