Main focus of Thursday, June 3, 2010

Japanese loses its beacon of hope

Barely nine months after entering office as Japan's beacon of hope for renewal and growth, Japanese prime minister Yukio Hatoyama announced his resignation on Wednesday. Commentators write that it was the US's security strategy in the region that caused Hatoyama to fail, leaving Japan in a state of political stagnation.

Il Sole 24 Ore - Italy

The reason behind the resignation of Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama is an unfulfilled election pledge, writes the business paper Il Sole 24 Ore: "Yukio Hatoyama is breaking one record after another. His Democratic Party (DPJ) managed to break the unyielding grip on power the Liberal Democrats (LPJ) had had for 50 years. Yet the main protagonist of this venture will go down in history as the prime minister who spent the shortest time in office since 1994. Tokyo's governments aren't exactly known for their longevity. ... Okinawa has been his undoing. During his election campaign Hatoyama had promised to close a US military base stationed on the island. Following the election however he went back on his promise and last week confirmed the old agreement between the Liberal Democrats and Washington under which the base will remain on the island." (03/06/2010)

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The Irish Times - Ireland

The resignation of Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama will lead to political stagnation and postpone recovery, the daily The Irish Times fears: "It's getting to be a national habit. In resigning yesterday Japan's prime minister Yukio Hatoyama has emulated the speedy departures of his three predecessors, all of them out within a year of taking office. A bitter irony that the man who appeared to have broken the half-century sclerotic hold of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Japanese politics should depart under a cloud so reminiscent of that party's ways. ... The resignation will certainly feed concerns that political paralysis is preventing Japan from reversing its two-decade economic decline, although Mr Kan's nomination will probably be viewed kindly by markets." (03/06/2010)

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Dnevnik - Slovenia

The resignation of Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama is linked to US strategy on regional security in the Far East, writes the daily Dnevnik: "Even if everything points to the fact that it was [Hatoyama's going back on his election pledge concerning] Okinawa that sealed the Japanese prime minister's fate, according to Japanese reports contentions with the US also had a hand in his demise. He championed an Asian variant of the EU and a common currency, accelerated growth and economic cooperation with the countries of Asia. ... Japan is more concerned about its economic stagnation than strengthening its defence and security system. However it looks as if Washington and Obama are insisting on the US's regional security strategy which only allows for two negotiating partners on Far East issues, namely the US and China." (03/06/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Domestic Policy, » U.S., » Japan
All available articles from » Andrej Mrevlje

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