What measures do you think governments have to place top priority on to reverse the economic downturn?

They don't have to reverse the economic downturn. They need to find an alternative to consumerism.

Notginger, you are exactly right. But they can also curb government spending and lower taxes. Low taxes is the best economic stimulus that there could ever be.

Let National Budget be handled by NGO or NPO !

This has to be the least popular Have Your Say thread in long time.

must be that most posters think an economic downturn is a good thing and dont want it reversed.

Radical structural overhaul, the kind that has helped other economies weather this storm a lot better than Japan, is essential.

Well, here we are. The economy is getting worse by the hour. However many people are feeling better now - things seem to have slowed down and it´s not a bad thing at all. I see my friends enjoying more time now around a coffee than going shopping, like everybody else before.

Global trade will probably become an unpopular topic. Japan will certainly have to rely less on exports, though China definitely is where the most opportunities lie, according to my crystal ball.

In Japan, I thought the idea of the cash handout had good intent but it should have been in the form of gift coupons redeemable within a certain period of time. Also, 12,000 yen is hardly enough. If each citizen had got a 100,000 yen coupon, that would have stimulated the domestic economy.

More broadly speaking, I wonder if rampant consumerism is dying a slow death. I mean, how many more cars and electronic products can we buy? There is no room in my place for anything else. Softbank launched 60 new cell phones for the summer season this month, but do they really expect consumers to upgrade their phones just because it is summer. Cell phones are not seasonal products. I only use about 5% of the functions on my current handset now.

Memo to all manufacturers: Give people what they need and want and at good value, and you will succeed. This is why low-priced supermarkets, clothing, furniture, cosmetics and health-care products are doing well in the recession.

Have more G20 meetings with caviar and truffles for the inebriated bloated global economic wizards of Oz. Promise that "help is on the way", then send the loot to secret foreign banks. Require no accountability for the Fed and the banksters who Madoffed the jobless, now homeless masses. Tax the hell out of everyone who has any wealth left and create hyper inflation by printing more coupons with more zeros and use them like they were actually real money to give the illusion of normalcy.

Wow, good thing these are all top priority for govt, or we might suffer a catastrophic financial melt-down, not merely a downturn.

30061015, spot on! One thing definite though is that a lot more people will end up with improved economic knowledge. I can see this even by judging JT replies. Half a year ago it was all blame the greedy and rich, now people start talking about inflation and value of the dollar. soon we will reach gold standard and abolition of the FED. Hell, who knows maybe Ron Paul will have a chance in 2012 after all?

Business as usual ,no downturn..or upturn. It is all in your mind.

Print more money and give it to everybody. :P

Shut the speculators up and stop trying to make everyone constantly worry and be paranoid. Wouldn`t surprise me if it was a plan.