Japanese Economy Essay example -- essays papers

Japanese Economy The Japanese economy is the second largest in the world, behind only the American economy. As such, its decade long downward slide has many lessons the American economy can learn from. The difference between the economies is one of degree, not type. Our own economy has been faltering of late, bringing fear of recession. The Japanese have been on that road for over ten years, and of late have been making aggressive moves towards a restructuring. This paper will look at the types of reforms planned in the Japanese economy, and more importantly if these reforms will be enough to pull a modern economy from the doldrums. The current state of the Japanese economy has much to do with a failure to adjust. In post-WWII Japan the country's economy experienced a "bubble economy". This era of high growth is very similar to that which the American economy experienced after WWII. A booming population and a new focus on industry were mostly responsible for the unprecedented growth in both countries. In the mid-1980's, Japan's central bank reduced prime interest rates in response to what was then considered a moderate slowing. This lowering wasn't enough to give the economy a chance at sustained growth, as it wasn't combined with robust reform. Japanese banks took advantage of the low rates, and began taking on massive debt. The slowdown never truly stopped, though there were quarters of greater growth. Though the economy grew by one percent on average, the combination of out of control debt and little population growth led the economy down a path of ever slowing growth. Today this debt, coupled with dis trust of banks by depositors, has held back even the most well though out and well intentioned reform. Simply put, no restructuring can lead to real gains if the banks continue to fall behind on debt payments. In April, the normally optimistic Central Bank of Japan issued a report downgrading its forecast for the Japanese economy, the third straight month it has done so. This was also the first report since September 1995 that the admitted that the economy is in a state of deflation. Deflation is the lowering of prices, and leads to lower corporate profits across the board. Deflation has a crippling effect on an economy, and demands an immediate and strong response. The report attributed this most recent downturn to lower industria... ...k governor, Masaru Hayami, said growth has come to a standstill because of slowing exports. Worried about the stagnant economy, the Bank of Japan moved to push interest rates to zero last month. It decided to keep such monetary policy unchanged at a meeting Friday. Exports have long been the driving force behind Japan's economic growth. But the cooling U.S. economy has dampened demand for Japanese exports. Japan unveiled an emergency package earlier this month that set a two-year deadline for major banks to dispose of their riskiest bad loans estimated at $104 billion. The non-performing loans -- a leftover from the collapse of Japan's easy-lending conditions of the late 1980s and early 1990s -- have crippled the nation's economy. The April report pointed to five key areas of the economy that remain troubled -- industrial output, corporate profitability, business sentiment, employment and housing construction. Late last year, Japan set a target of 1.7 percent growth for fiscal 2001 through the end of next March. But some economists believe the forecast is too optimistic. For the fiscal year ended last month, the government has set a target of 1.2 percent growth.

Marco Polo Worships the Great Khan

Traveling from Cathay to Tinju, there is not a single page in The Travels of Marco Polo where he does not mention the Great Khan.   Whether this is a positive or a negative, the power of the Great Khan is routinely emphasized and the leader is repeatedly discussed in terms of his ability as a ruler.   . A great deal of the reason for this is that when one looks at a different culture and its history, there is a tacit avoidance of providing judgment on the way the militarism of a culture may conduct itself. Through his travels in China, Marco Polo depicts the Great Khan as a powerful, benevolent, and ambitious leader of East Asia. It is easy to see that the Great Khan had great power throughout most of China.   In chapter 4 of The Travels, Polo describes various visits to different locations in northern and southwestern China.   He states clearly that â€Å"Tibet belongs to the Great Khan, as do all the other kingdoms and provinces and regions described in this book, except only the provinces mentioned at the beginning of our book which belong to the son of Arghun† (174). In chapter 5, all places that Polo visits use the Great Khan’s paper currency and the people remain subjects of the Great Khan.   In his description of the journey from Ho-Kein-fu through Kein-ning-fu, the idea that stands out   is that â€Å"people are idolaters, subjects to the Great Khan and using paper money† because such a brief and generalized statement provides significant insight into the overriding themes of the Great Khan’s motivations. (211). However, in different areas under Khan’s rule, a unique monetary system was used.   For example, Kaindu had very unique hard currency: â€Å"They have gold in bars and weight it out by saggi; and it is valued according to its weight.   But they have no coined money bearing a stamp† (176). Ironically, in some instances, salt was used as short change currency. Traders in Tibet made an immense profit, because they could use the salt in food as well as for buying the necessities of life.   In the cities they used fragments of salt blocks in cooking and spent the unbroken blocks. However, regardless of the fact that Kaindu did not use the Great Khan’s money, the Great Khan’s influence remained strongly evident within these providences.   Kaindu was subject to the Great Khan and it was in an area known to have an abundance of pearls.   Regardless the Great Khan would not let anyone harvest pearls because he believed harvesting too many pearls would eliminate their scarcity and lead to a significant devaluation. Thus, â€Å"The Great Khan, when he has a mind, has pearls taken from it for his own use only; but no one else may take them on pain of death† (175) There was also a mountain there with a plentiful supply of turquoise which produced very fine gems but the Great Khan would not allow them to be taken except at his bidding. This would seem to indicate that the Great Khan’s brash exterior hid a very insecure interior. That is, he seemed to desire wealth and treasure as a way of propping up his own image. Allowing greater access to wealth and precious metals was, perhaps, something the Great Khan feared because it would chip away at his ‘loftiness’. (175). Marco Polo also conveys the notion that the Great Khan maintained a sense of benevolence that tempered his displays of power.   In particular, Polo’s story about Litan emphasizes this benevolence.   Tandinfu was a very large city and once a great kingdom, but the Great Khan had conquered it through force of arms.   In 1272, the Great Khan had appointed one of his barons, Litan Sangon, to hold this city and province.   However, Litan planned a monstrous act of disloyalty when he and his followers rebelled against the Great Khan in a stunning display of disobedience.   When the Great Khan discovered this, he sent his militia to confront them. When Litan was defeated, the Great Khan pardoned those who served under Litan forgave them for their trespasses and indiscretions.   Those who were pardoned never afterward displaced any disloyalty towards their great leader.   This story reflects the Great Khan’s benevolence because, unlike other leaders who would respond ruthlessly to opposition, The Great Khan instead made them into the most loyal subjects by bestowing a pardon to them. It is clear the Kubilai Khan was exceptionally ambitious and this is what made him so powerful and played a great part in allowing him to conquer most of Asia.   Polo’s description of the conquest of Manzi evokes the ambitiousness of the Great Khan.   After conquering many cities and countries, Kubilai was still not satisfied and continued the expansion of his territory. He attempted to conquer the great province of Manzi, a wealthy territory.   The king of Manzi had discovered through astrology that he could not lose his kingdom except at the hands of a man with a hundred eyes.   In response,   Bayan Chincsan, known as â€Å"Bayan Hundred-eyes,† was sent into Manzi by order of the Great Khan.   Bayan succeeded and Kubilai finally conquered Manzi. This clearly demonstrates the Great Khan’s desire to expand his power base from all fronts. Perhaps, in a way, it depicts over ambition as opposed to logistical, military expansion. Ultimately, this type of imperialism would later lead to Khan’s eventually overextension and downfall. From Marco Polo’s descriptions of the influence of the Great Khan throughout most of China, it appears that he was a powerful sovereign whose impression on history still resonates to this very day.   However, Marco Polo’s presentation of the Great Khan drafts an image of the Great Khan as the only leader who could rule and dominate the world Although Marco Polo’s explanation that many cities he visited were ruled by the Great Khan is true, to the reader it seems like he venerated Kubilai Khan above all others. Perhaps Marco Polo was in such awe of Khan, he sought to see him as a great leader as opposed to a destructive, predatory imperialist and from this, an idealized version of history was cr

The Issue Of Legal Same Sex Unions - 842 Words

Few know the issue of legal same sex unions first made news nearly 20 years ago. The Defense of Marriage Act was originally enacted in 1996, but has only been in the spotlight the past few years. Now, another hot topic issue about gender and lifestyle has found its way to mainstream media reports. The issue of gender reassignment has reached fever pitch levels, with Bruce Jenner transitioning to Caitlyn Jenner. Social media, daytime talk shows, and late night TV devoted countless hours to discussion of issues such as â€Å"what is a hero†, â€Å"will Caitlyn be treated differently as a woman, or a man†, and â€Å"can Jenner expect a lower paycheck as a female versus a male†? But, the one topic that has not received any airplay is the way transgender issues are treated during a divorce. In Jenner’s case, the divorce from Kris Jenner took place before the transformation. However, this is not always the case, and because it is not always the case the topic de serves a mention. There is scant little legal precedent for issues of transgender divorces. The first known case is out of Arizona, and involved a man who was born as a woman. In 2012 Thomas Beatie filed for divorce, as a man. The facts, and legal issues included: ââ€"  Beatie, who was born a woman, had undergone some procedures to transition from female to male. However, the procedure for reassignment of reproductive organs had not taken place. ââ€"  Beatie has obtained a legal decision that declared him male. ââ€"  Despite the legal definition ofShow MoreRelatedThe Legal Definition Of Marriage Essay1717 Words   |  7 PagesIn Australia marriage is the union between a women and a man, in the eyes of the law couples of the same sexual orientation is not considered a marriage. In this report it will contain the legal definition of marriage, the current legislation, the legal issues surrounding the law, foreign marriages and how to impact Australia, the rights of the stake holders, the social issues surrounding marriage, political ideas and views of marriage, the evaluation of the law, concluding with recommendation asRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Is The Legal Union Essay1562 Words   |  7 PagesClick here to access FREE course materials and tests. Products ï‡ ³Home ï‡ ¶Research ï‡ µDrive ï‡ ´Answers About Company Legal Site Map Contact Advertise ï‡ º ï‡ ¼ ï‡ ½  ©2015 StudyMode.com Home Same-sex marriage Same Sex Marriage Same Sex Marriage Civil union, Homosexuality, Marriage By kwhite89 Mar 16, 2015 1510 Words 56 Views More info ï„” PDF View TextRead MoreGay Marriage Should be Legal Essay1176 Words   |  5 Pages There can be no question about the definition of marriage. 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An opposing view, is given by Robert P. George, a Princeton University professor. In his article, â€Å"The 28th Amendment: It Is Time to Protect Marriage, and Democracy, in America,† he explains why he is against same-sex marriage. The Lambda Legal Defense andRead MoreLegal Issues For Gay And Lesbian Adoption And Parental Rights1626 Words   |  7 PagesDATE: October 13, 2015 RE: Legal Issues for Gay and Lesbian Adoption and Parental Rights Issue Although adoption can be difficult for any single person or married couple, adoption for the gay and lesbian population presents a unique set of challenges both societal and legal. Whether constitutional or not, special rules apply to same gay and lesbian adoption. Under current legislation, is same sex adoption fully legal and how do the laws on the subject measure with regardRead MoreThe Rights Of Gay And Lesbian Couples1451 Words   |  6 Pagesmarry even if they are upstanding citizens. They are held at an unfair disadvantage solely because of their sexual orientation. This discrimination must stop because gay and lesbian couples are law-abiding citizens too, who should be afforded the same rights as heterosexual couples. One common problem that plagues gay and lesbian couples that are denied the right to marry is their inability to claim their partner’s social security after he or she has died. The Human Rights Campaign, which workRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Gay And Lesbians1447 Words   |  6 Pagesmarry even if they are upstanding citizens. They are held at an unfair disadvantage solely because of their sexual orientation. This discrimination must stop because gay and lesbian couples are law-abiding citizens too, who should be afforded the same rights as heterosexual couples. One common problem that plagues gay and lesbian couples that are denied the right to marry is their inability to claim their partner’s social security after he or she has died. The Human Rights Campaign, which work toRead MoreChanges Law Of Same Sex Marriage1624 Words   |  7 PagesChanges Law of Same Sex â€Æ' The issue of gay marriage has been with a great deal of civil argument. Many people have taken stands that favour their position on the issue of same sex marriage. The reasons given against same sex marriage are that they are not according to the social norms and practices. They also state that they are not likely to hold. The position held by others that same sex marriage should be allowed states that those who want to practice should not be interfered with. Too many

Confronting Guilt In Franz Kafka’s The Trial Essay

In Franz Kafka’s The Trial, Josef K. is guilty; his crime is that he does not accept his own humanity. This crime is not obvious throughout the novel, but rather becomes gradually and implicitly apparent to the reader. Again and again, despite his own doubts and various shortcomings, K. denies his guilt, which is, in essence, to deny his very humanity. It is for this crime that the Law seeks him, for if he would only accept the guilt inherent in being human (and, by so doing, his humanity itself), both he and the Law could move on. Ironically, this is in part both an existential and Christian interpretation of The Trial. The idea that to be human is to be guilty arises from both Christian and existential ideology. The Christian†¦show more content†¦Guilt is a similarly unavoidable part of being human within the existential perspective. Existential guilt results from the general awareness of a few basic concepts of existential ideology. These concepts include: 1 ) Humans have no existence outside their lives on earth, 2) death is inevitable, 3) life has no meaning unless one creates that meaning, 4) everyone is responsible for their own choices, and 5) honest choices are not always the best choices. It is therefore impossible not to have some guilt about making bad choices and thus not fulfilling all possibilities and potential in one’s life. This existentialist perspective is pertinent in reading The Trial because Kafka was a notorious adherent to existentialism. An existentialist would interpret the way in which K. insists upon his lack of guilt over and over again throughout The Trial as a persistent denial of his own humanity. Furthermore, since K.’s trial progresses because the Law sees the need to persecute denials of humanity, if K. had just accepted his humanity (by admitting his inherent guilt in being a human being), the trial would have ceased to exist. K.’s Uncle Karl is familiar with this aspect of the Law and so feels confident his lawyer-friend will defend K. well in his trial, saying, â€Å"it’s his human qualities I put my trust in† (96). Time and again, K. meets people connected with the court who perceive the true nature of his trial and so urge him, like Leni, not toShow MoreRelatedEssay Existentialism1050 Words   |  5 Pagesanguish is the underlying, all-pervasive, universal condition of human existence. Existentialism agrees with certain streams of thought in Judaism and Christianity which see human existence as fallen, and human life as lived in suffering and sin, guilt and anxiety. This dark picture of human life leads existentialists to reject ideas such as happiness, enlightenment optimism, a sense of well-being, since these can only reflect a superficial understanding of life, or a naive and foolish way ofRead Moreexistentialism Essay3317 Words   |  14 Pagessituation, in decisions which makes himself and sets himself to solves his problems and live in the world. Thrown into the world, the human being is con- demned to be free. The human being must take this freedom of being and the responsibility and guilt of his actions. Each action negates the other possible courses of action and their consequences; so the human being must be accountable without excuse. The human being must not slip away from his re- sponsibilities. The human being must take deci-

A Virtual Community By Rene Lysloff - 1505 Words

A ‘virtual community’ is a type of imagined community and is a difficult concept to define; the ambiguous nature of this concept is highlighted by the many definitions created by researchers. A Virtual Community is when â€Å"Individuals communicate and form a relationship with each other in a computer mediated space with the use of technology. Anthropologists undergo the practice of participation observation on the internet , allowing them to experience a virtual community; this shapes their understanding and knowledge of this concept. For that reason each individual has different criteria which they believe a community must correlate to, in order for it to be classed as a virtual community. Furthermore, another issue surrounding the ability†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, the Oxford definition states that a ‘Virtual Community’ is â€Å"a community of people sharing common interests, Ideas and feelings over the Internet†. However, this definition does not consider the non-physical space at which this community materializes , ‘Cyberspace is a metaphor for this non-physical computer mediated terrain. Vangie Beal- Cyberspace-Webopedia There are different types of Imagined Communities, including virtual and digital. In virtual communities the people involved are characters and are non-existent, an example of this is Cybercity. Alternatively , Social Networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are considered digital as they consist of people with real identities and the actions they make on the ‘net’ have real effects outside of ‘Cyberspace’. Barry Wellman, author of ‘imagining twitter as an imagined community’ views Twitter to as both real and Imagined, real because ‘participants interact with each other’ and have decisions have real life consequence and Imagined because they all â€Å"share a sense of community†. This ‘imagined’ sense of community corresponds to Benedict Anderson’s view of nationalism. Benedict Anderson’s concept of Imagined Communities is a good starting point into understanding the concept of Virtual Communit ies. In Benedict Anderson’s book Imagined Communities-Reflections of the origins and spread of nationalism, he defines the nation as a ‘imagined political community’(B. Anderson 2006, p.7 ). Imagined because

Half Half - Behind the Label free essay sample

â€Å"You mixed?† a girl boldly asked me at my friend’s prom. Our eyes met knowingly, and I could tell she already knew the answer. When I meet a biracial person, I am ecstatic, and we often share our experiences, including the dilemma of having to â€Å"choose.† Sometimes I find that I can relate to a biracial stranger better than to my own parents. Although I feel an almost poignant vibe when interacting with other biracial individuals, I am also aware that my ethnicity allows me to make greater connections with those from diverse backgrounds. The product of an African-American father and an Irish-English American mother, one could argue that I’ve been surrounded by diversity my whole life. Among my brothers and I, there is a blonde, a brunette (me) and a redhead, which never ceases to fascinate friends and family. When my mother’s sister inspired my younger brother to pursue a version of the Irish step from â€Å"Riverdance,† I was â€Å"stepping† in an annual Black History Month show. We will write a custom essay sample on Half Half Behind the Label or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Our family diversity is frequently manifested in foods such as collard greens with Irish soda bread. My background, however, goes beyond food; we sing â€Å"The Black National Anthem† in February and whip out shamrocks in March. Growing up, the frequent requirement of â€Å"checking one box† caused me to feel, literally, boxed in, a sentiment I continue to feel when filling out college applications. Being biracial, however, has given me a unique understanding and appreciation of different cultures. During my involvement in Operation Understanding D.C. (OUDC), I quickly embraced both the black and Jewish members of the group, attending a friend’s seder and bringing her to her first Palm Sunday Mass. When all 23 of us marched across Edmund Petus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, retracing the footsteps civil rights marchers took on Bloody Sunday, I fully understood the importance of bridging cultures, and the implications of my existence. When two worlds collide, however, there are always obstacles. During this tour with OUDC, a guide singled me out saying, â€Å"In order to own a store in the black section of Atlanta during this period, one would have to be oh, her complexion.† As I glanced up from the museum pamphlet, I noted 22 pairs of eyes fixed on my â€Å"commendable† light skin tone. Unsure of how to respond, I remained silent, and observed 11 curious faces and 11 assessing glances. Was I supposed to be infuriated that I made the cut for a malicious system of oppression? Should I have explained the history of light skin tone in the black community? Or should I have falsely denied that I, during those days, would have had more opportunities? I decided to accept the past as past, and to condemn a system that had divided the black community. I frequently find myself in situations where people question my blackness or whiteness, but I’ve learned that being me, and not a label, will always be a challenge. Mixed, biracial, half-and-half or creamed coffee, however people classify me, I feel an obligation to bridge cultures and promote tolerance and understanding. I hope I may continue to do that at Brown.* *It worked! Michelle is now a freshman at Brown University.

Balls free essay sample

I chose the book Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. Beautiful creatures is about a 15- year old girl who has magical powers and will either turn dark or light on her sixteenth birthday. The main character is Lena Duchannes, a caster. Ethan Wate, Lenas boyfriend tries to turn Lena light. The setting takes place in a small southern town of Gatlin South Carolina. The overall tone or mood of the story is romantic and mysterious. The point of view from which the story is told is first person and Ethan is telling the story. The theme of the story is not to let others pick your fate but for you to make the choice. The conflict of the story is Ethan and Lena trying to find a way to turn Lena light so they can stay together. Ethan Wate has brown hair, blue eyes, and is over six foot four. We will write a custom essay sample on Balls or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He has lived in Gatlin his whole life but wants to move away and travel the world. Ethan is also the star player on the Jackson high basketball team. An unusual quality about him is that he has some sort of power even though he is still a mortal. He is the only one who an protect Lena from Sarafine, a dark caster who tries to kill Lena. Something else about Ethan is that he had dreams about Lena before they even meet. In them Lena is always dying but in a very unusual way. She could drown and he would Jump in to save her, he would wake up wet. Or Lena could be burning in a building and Ethan would wake up with burn marks on his clothes and covered in ashes. In his dreams he sees this girl he doesnt know. All he knows is that she has black hair and dark green eyes like gems. He thinks he is going crazy, but then the girl in the dreams comes to town.