なぜ韓国人は、嫌われるのか？

日本はもうソコソコの国家ニダ

The New York Times
August 11, 2002, Sunday, Late Edition - Final
SECTION: Section 4; Page 5;Column 4; Week in Review Desk
LENGTH: 1411 words
HEADLINE: The World: Setting Sun?;
Japan Anxiously Looks Ahead
BYLINE: By HOWARD W。 FRENCH
DATELINE: TOKYO

YEAR in and year out since Japan's financial bubble burst in 1990, American presidents have needled and cajoled the country's leaders to fix their economy and restore Japan to its rightfulplace in the world。

Gradually, though, as this country has continued its drift, a more skeptical view has begun to gain ground: Japanis returning to its rightful place in the world, that of a middling country of vastly diminished and still declining importancein world affairs。 From the ashes of World War II, Japan enjoyed one of the fastest economic rises ever seen。 Its successes made it widely envied by developing nations everywhere, as an example of how much a democratic, capitalistic country could achieve in a short period of time。 Now, if its decline continues, it could have profound implications for American diplomatic and military policy in Asia。

Twelve years after its stock market collapsed, along with its dreams of superpower status, Japan is still frozenin denial about a dysfunctional political system built on institutionalized cronyism。 By contrast, the United States is already seeing strong stirrings of reform just weeks into a crisis over business ethics。

Not everyone is ready to turn out the lights on Japan。 The Hudson Institute, for example, has just published a book titled "The Re-Emergence of Japan as a Super State。" In a recent opinion column in The Wall Street Journal, the institute's president, Herbert London, cited Japan's "100 percent literacy rate, stable leadership, products valued in world markets, mastery of Western managementtechniques and a belief in purposeful communal action," and concluded "it is not hard to be confident in Japan'sfuture。"

But recent signals from Washington suggest much greater skepticism, as diplomats say the Bush administrationhas increasing doubts that Japan will ever again become a global mover and shaker。