Noda brings Tanaka, Jojima into cabinet

You know you're screwed when you pissed off all of your neighbors. No one in Asia likes you. Have you people ever ask yourself why all of your neighbors hate you? Can't be all their faults, it must be something you did that cause all these hate.

Every time someone expresses hatred towards you, you interpret through NHK that its other people's fault. Its like a pre-written script. Your so-called free media is really not that free at all. I don't think the average Japanese citizen is really getting the truth about your own history, your current geo-political situation, and what exactly is your gov't doing to drive the right-leaning direction on all social-economic policies. Its a very dangerous game for you because all of your neighbors are well-established and military capable. ITs completely different than the 20s and 30s where you can take advantage through military and economic expansion.

One wrong step for you, in your extremely vulnerable state being an export-dominant country, can set you back 30 years. You won't survive a mistake like that.

And really, out of all of the people you can elect, look at all those incompetent fools that you elected. Its really your own people's fault. For over 70 years of a democratic state, its predominantly one party rule up until the past few years. And how did that work out for you? Yes you are a democracy but a fake one. You people don't have the political will to amass to anything substantial. Always happy with status quo, the non-conformed peace, the superficial politeness. I wonder how long that will last when your businesses that support your nation really get in trouble in the next few years. Let's see if you people would patiently wait in line to get milk or that beef bowl in empty parking lots.

Kyodo news has reported that one new Noda cabinet member will be Makiko Tanaka. I commend the PM for his choice here.

Given her reputation for working to facilitate positive ties between Japan and China, she should be a great addition to the cabinet in helping to ameliorate Japan's heightened strife with its neighbors . Also, she is a graduate of a Quaker-run high school in Pennsylvania, so has a solid international background.

This cabinet reshuffle is a good move by the PM. I hope it helps bring success for the DPJ against the LDP in the next general elections. Otherwise, if the LDP were to win electoins and Shinzo Abe were then to become PM, it would be very bad for Japan's international relations.

Let me guess, some old guys who should have retired ten years ago? Can't wait for the breathtaking changes to ensue...!

callmeB Oct. 01, 2012 - 08:04AM JST

Are you referring to the US or Japan. It seems that America has foreign policy problems of its own. Oh, that's right, foreigners only hate the US for its "freedoms." Everything else is terrorism for no apparent reasons. As for knowing the truth, the US population is just as propagandized and manipulated as the Japanese. The only difference is that some of the propaganda offered up to the Japanese comes from the US (i.e., nuclear power, military deployment)

Sensato Oct. 01, 2012 - 08:31AM JST

How many times can Japanese politicians expect this cabinet shuffle tango to change anything? It has not worked and will not work except to buy ineffective politicians a little more time. Its about leadership, something the Japanese political class is woefully lacking. Not demanding better leadership in Japan gives credence to the criticism from guys like callmeB.

Start the music! The musical chairs game awaits!

Don't think there is so much to be excited about the new cabinet. New members were added purely as a show of Noda's gratitude towards those who supported him in the party election, Tanaka being one of the first to openly express her support towards Noda's long-term leadership. Knowing this to be his last cabinet before LDP eventually takes over, Noda is clearly focused on thanking his supporters here than he is about anything else. Sad to confirm Noda is just another one of those PMs in Japan who can only manitain leadership in this manner.

Maybe some Benny Hill music for the game of musical chairs?

In Japan there is a chance another party will get in power. In the Peoples Republic of China there is only one party the communists. There is no election just shut up and follow orders. If it is not from the party it is from the new rick.

Newspapers have said Noda is expected to elevate Makiko Tanaka to the cabinet, a woman with pro-Beijing credentials reflecting her father’s status as the prime minister

I have seen this alot when following Japan politics. It seems that they tend to keep things "in the family" so to speak. Just because someone's father or other relative was in a power position, that means that someone else in the family must follow their footsteps.

Part of the problem I see is that there aren't really many outsiders getting into politics or if they are they may be held back because they may not have had the right family connections. Sure we have it similar in the US, but could some "shmo" like Mike Huckabee (or anyone else not named Bush, Rockafella, Kennedy), rise to become the governor of Arkansas and make it big on the politcal scene without really having the proper family connections?

Maybe Japan needs to let others take their chance even if they don't have the right family connections. They couldn't do any worse than those who supposedly are from the right family and political connections.

Here we go again. Next group takes a place at the trough. J-politics as usual...

CallmeB, the Chinese Embassy and the official news agency called. They said you can pick up your pay packet now.

Like a kindergarten. Instead of focusing on problems in this country, all they care about is votes and elections sigh

YuriOtani: "n Japan there is a chance another party will get in power. In the Peoples Republic of China there is only one party the communists. There is no election just shut up and follow orders. If it is not from the party it is from the new rick."

As much as you're banging on your war drums and calling for battle, this really has little to do with Chinese politics. Sadder still is that while 'there is a chance another party will get power', in Japan all the parties are exactly the same. The DPJ are all LDP dropouts, and now that a bunch of them have resigned, they'll probably flee to Hashimoto's party, which is made up mostly of the dropouts of dropouts. They don't change their opinions when they jump ship, my friend.

This is just like any other newly formed Japanese cabinet that lacks any freshness, any surprises, and it will just raise cabinet approval ratings to about 40% probably. Predictable.

Why don't they give Tanaka credit for her past performances instead of suggesting she is in because of her family ties?

Come on Noda! Just call the damn election and get it over with quickly so Japan can get back to its real "good ole boy" government of corruption, nepotism, and right-wing racism! All you're doing is rotating a bunch of has-beens through more jobs so they can make another check on thier bucket lists.

I LOVE Tanaka and am so glad to see her back. She is what this country needs in a PM - brains, balls and a clue! Koizumi, she got the last laugh you git!

As a chinese, i feel terribly ashamed of what my people did in last demonstrations. Forgive my grammar mistake, i never use english in my daily life.

I hope japan's prime minister won't lose his patience dealing with CCP politicians. Even more so, i hope Ishihara or any other right-winger like Osaka mayor won't spark another provocation, and Japanese could be smart enough not to be drawn to their nationalistic rhetoric.

As i see it, Ishihara should have known things like this would happen. He can sacrifice his country's businesses and economic interests for his own hidden, personal goal. Is this love for Japan? Sacrificing his country's interest for his own ideology? Japan must beware with this kind of people.

"Noda said he wanted Maehara “to use his ability to develop strategy for reviving Japan and to implement economic measures as commander of the entire government.”

Madame Makiko Tanaka's appointment remains a 'half face losing' choice given the fact that she is offered a strange job ! With the duo Noda + Maehara,, donot expect miracle. Japanese will still be driving on the right seat And on the right lane of the road !

@yuriotani "In Japan there is a chance another party will get in power. In the Peoples Republic of China there is only one party the communists. There is no election just shut up and follow orders. If it is not from the party it is from the new rick."

Not entering into debates on big ideological doctrines, Japan will definitely need a few 'dictators' ( not R-Wingers ) to revamp the nation's economy & wipe out all chronic symptoms of the current politics. Too many opportunists around.

No lions or magicians. Lots of clowns.

" picking a woman with Beijing-friendly credentials in what commentators said signalled his hope to move past a damaging territorial row "

What total nonsense. It is as much possible to appease the Chinese communist government by nice gestures as it is a appease islamic radicals. What they want is total submission, and short of that nothing will do. So either you stand up to them or you admit defeat right now.

These "friendly gestures" are completely meaningless and self-defeating.

I totally agree with CallmeB. Even the Japan-lovin' Taiwan has turned its back vehemently away from Tokyo. When is Japan going to actually sit down and think about why everybody in Asia (even those receiving ODA) are hating on them? Stop being so childish and blame everyone else. It's truly pathetic...

Like appointing Tanaka the new Education Minister is going to make everything better with China? Noda giving up his seat to her would be so much better.

Quite a lot of change, but will there be any improvement?

I highly doubt it.

And it wouldn't matter if Jackie Chan was appointed to help with the matters in China as the damage has been done and both countries have laid their cards on the table.

Makiko Tanaka becomes education minister. The job is relatively powerless and has little directly to do with China,

After the Fukushima Daiichi man-made disaster, this ministry, in charge of measuring radiation levels and protecting the health of students should be anything but a powerless position. Here is the crux of the problem. The pro-nuclear agencies have all the regulatory power.

With his prefecture of Chiba heavily polluted by nuclear radiation, maybe Hiroyuki Nagahama will come up with a better policy than the Incompassionate mouthpiece Hosono, who just encourage everyone to enjoy the bounty from Fukushima.

Noda giving up his seat to her would be so much better.

While I don't dislike Noda, I 100% agree with this. Though would the oyajis be okay with a female running the show? I think not - which is part of the reason Koizumi got rid of her when he did. That and she called him out on being the snake he is.

I like Noda! He is a good politician. I hope he and his cabinet will modernize politics in Japan.

They way I see it Japan has an outdated political system that need to be changed if Japan wants to keep progressing.

callmeBOct. 01, 2012 - 08:04AM JST

You know you're screwed when you pissed off all of your neighbors. No one in Asia likes you. Have you people ever ask yourself why all of your neighbors hate you? Can't be all their faults, it must be something you did that cause all these hate.

Every time someone expresses hatred towards you, you interpret through NHK that its other people's fault. Its like a pre-written script. Your so-called free media is really not that free at all. I don't think the average Japanese citizen is really getting the truth about your own history, your current geo-political situation, and what exactly is your gov't doing to drive the right-leaning direction on all social-economic policies. Its a very dangerous game for you because all of your neighbors are well-established and military capable. ITs completely different than the 20s and 30s where you can take advantage through military and economic expansion.

One wrong step for you, in your extremely vulnerable state being an export-dominant country, can set you back 30 years. You won't survive a mistake like that.

And really, out of all of the people you can elect, look at all those incompetent fools that you elected. Its really your own people's fault. For over 70 years of a democratic state, its predominantly one party rule up until the past few years. And how did that work out for you? Yes you are a democracy but a fake one. You people don't have the political will to amass to anything substantial. Always happy with status quo, the non-conformed peace, the superficial politeness. I wonder how long that will last when your businesses that support your nation really get in trouble in the next few years. Let's see if you people would patiently wait in line to get milk or that beef bowl in empty parking lots.

Shame. I have been following your posts, and never made any objections until now.

Why are you filled with anger and hate? The biggest mistake of Chinese Cultural Revolution was taking all peasants backwards to 100 years. As you know that Mao took a moral teaching away from Chinese. All peasants are left with anger, hate and no moral values.

The world is reading your posts. You are sending a negative message that (1) China is fit for global investment. (2)Chinese are willing to start a war in Asia while you are spending over 13% of GDP over military spending. You are not following the world view of China how we see you from the other side of globe. You have made your choice to stay in hate while the world including Japan is moving FORWARD. Your comments producing anything productive in international diplomacy. A big wave of protest against China is on the way from all over the world. Be aware.

Some great choices, Noda is doing well. Glad to see that.

callmeB, Shame on you for such silly anger. The rest of the world is seeing China as it really is, filled with hate and power seeking. We in the modern world live in a different way and seek to share rather than dominate and rule. I hope that China finds a more peaceful path as it grows, but just growth and size are not deserving of respect. It has to be earned. Japan is doing very well indeed. and i have every respect for all its decisions recently.

smithinjapan, you are saying to Japan to surrender the islands and that will NEVER happen.

"As much as you're banging on your war drums and calling for battle"

No I am calling for the defense of these islands. So if China (both) do not attack there will be no war. I Japan surrenders the islands then China (both) will demand the rest of the Ryukyu chain. Did your school in Canada teach you about appeasement and what happened before WWII? Japan needs to keep history from repeating itself. These islands are an important part of our defense, even empty.

Second while the LDP and DPJ are close they are not the same. There is always the socialists and they may get elected one day.

Why don't they give Tanaka credit for her past performances instead of suggesting she is in because of her family ties?

Her past performance would include as you quoted, "The DPJ are all LDP dropouts"