Articles/Commentary - Media Training

Japan’s New Prime Minister Takes On Abenomics’ Legacy

by William Sposato | Jan 11, 2022 | article

Fumio Kishida’s new populist measures look to shrink inequality and stir a sluggish economy. Abenomics was supposed to be the magic toolkit that revitalized the Japanese economy. But nine years and a couple of prime ministers later, growth remains sluggish, and wealth...

The Trump Interviews – What went wrong?

by William Sposato | Aug 7, 2020 | article

photo: courtesy AXIOS ON HBO The Trump Interviews – What Went Wrong? From a media training perspective, the recent President Trump interviews with Axios and Fox News raise some fundamental issues. Before any newsmaker goes before the media, they are given a...

Japan’s Halfhearted Coronavirus Measures Are Working Anyway

by William Sposato | May 14, 2020 | article

Despite indifferent lockdowns and poor testing, Japan seems to be skipping the worst of the pandemic. In its battle with the coronavirus, Japan appears to be doing everything wrong. It has tested just 0.185 percent of its population, its social distancing has been...

Shinzo’s Abe Legacy is Set — but constitutional reform remains elusive

by William Sposato | Aug 11, 2019 | article

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s legacy appears to be set—it’s just not the one he always wanted. After a strong showing in late July parliamentary elections, he is now on track to become the country’s longest-serving prime minister and is able to boast of...

Japan Pushes the Speed Limit on Trade Talks

by William Sposato | Apr 22, 2019 | article

This item originally appeared in Foreign Policy Magazine Trade talks with the United States pose a problem for Japan, largely because the Japanese don’t really want to be there. On balance they are happy with the status quo, have no real demands for concessions from...

Abe Just Won’t Quit

by William Sposato | Jun 8, 2018 | article

Japanese prime ministers usually resign at the first whiff of scandal — but this one is breaking the mold. By William Sposato | June 8, 2018 This is an article that was originally published in Foreign Policy Magazine. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has a fondness...

A Surge in Women’s Employment Is Driving Japan’s Economy

by William Sposato | Dec 23, 2015 | article

Even after three years of trying, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe doesn’t seem able to get his economic program on the fast track. Just as one part of the economy looks better, another falls back into the decline that has dogged Japan for a quarter-century....

In Abe’s Japan, Economics Taking a Back Seat

by William Sposato | Nov 13, 2015 | article

TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has had a busy few months. After a summer of pushing through controversial new defense policies, he held a successful and strategically important trilateral summit with South Korea and China and crossed visiting all of...