Day 4: Japanese Economy and Government

Japan is well known for its auto and electronic industry. Though these industries anchor the economy, there are other areas in which it is growing. Professor Takahiro Miyao of the International University of Japan spoke to us on the problems and progress of the Japanese economy. Like the United States, Japan is a capitalist country. This means that most business and industry are privately owned by people, not the government.

Yuji Tsushima, a member of the Japanese House of Representatives, and Wakako Hironaka, a member of the House of Councillors spoke to us about the Japanese government. The two are members of opposing parties, much like the Republicans and the Democrats, but the were very gracious and civil when speaking to us about issues that Japan deals with today. One such issue is that of the constitution. Japan is still under the constitution that was set up by the United States after the war. There is a strong movement with about half of the population in support of drafting a new constitution written by the Japanese. After the government presentation, we were treated with some traditional Japanese theater called Kyogen. Kyogen plays are usually short and funny. The actors speak slowly and vary the tones of their voices.

For dinner I ate some delicious noodles called udon. They are similar to what you might find in homemade chicken-noodle soup – thick and chewy. Udon noodles are served in broth and may have a little bit of meat or vegetables. They are served hot or cold. (typically hot in the winter and cold in the summer).

After dinner I went to the top of the North tower of the Tokyo City Hall, the tallest building in Tokyo. The view provided a panorama of the entire city, which stretches far in every direction. On a clear day Mt. Fuji can be seen in the distance. Unfortunately it was a little overcast and I didn’t get to see it.