Tokyo and tech through the eyes of a split pea

Fixing Japan

The Economist has an iteresting article titled Fixing Japan – Kill or Cure. It’s perhaps not as negative as past columns, and as usual hits the nail on the head:

…policymakers themselves are more inclined to avoid problems than address them; would rather win bureaucratic feuds than co-operate; and base most of their decisions on emotion (such as fear of shame) rather than reason.

Solutions are offered, which is always a good thing in this case.

The New York Times also has a brief article on the push for greater foreign tourism in Japan. Read it here. An interesting quote that ties back to my previous entry for W Hotels:

Hotel rates may further soften as 4,000 new rooms go on the market in Tokyo by 2007. In the last year, three top-class hotels have opened, each anchoring a major new development: the Hyatt in Roppongi Hills, the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo in Marunouchi and the Royal Park Shiodome Tower in Shiodome. By 2007, they will be joined by the St. Regis Tokyo and the Peninsular Tokyo.

The reporter left out the Ritz Carlton, opening in 2005 (2007?) on the 防衛庁(bo ei cho) grounds between 乃木坂 (Nogizaka) and 六本木 (Roppongi). Read about the Ritz’s Asia expansion here.