070209JapanConsideredPodcastVol03No06.mp3

February 9, 2007 . Volume 03, Number 06. Sorry about the delayed posting of this transcript. Things are back to normal. You can find both the link to the program audio file and to the full transcript in their normal place on the Japan Considered Project website. Just go to www.JapanConsidered.org, and click on the big podcast button. In the meantime, I hope you found the audio file and the transcript text right here. The problems with the University's servers, or whatever it was, seem to be fixed now. I'm hoping to have a better solution for you in a few weeks. This week we have a full agenda, beginning with some comments on the on-going Six-Party Talks being held in Bejing on North Korea's nuclear efforts. We then consider the significance of the results of Sunday's elections for the LDP and Opposition parties, and Prime Minister Abe's approval ratings. Finally we consider the outcome of the Opposition parties' decision to boycott Lower House debate on the supplementary budget bill. In protest of Health Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa's offensive remark during a speech the week before. The boycott is over, but the results have longer-term significance for Japan's parliament, I think. We close, of course, with an inspiring clip of bluegrass, this one sure to brighten your day