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New York Times (July 11)

2013/ 07/ 13 by jd in Global News

“With two bad rules adopted on Wednesday, the Securities and Exchange Commission has all but invited hucksters, rip-off artists and other bad actors to prey on individual investors. The new rules are another disturbing sign that under the leadership of the new chairwoman, Mary Jo White, the S.E.C. will pursue deregulation at the expense of investor protection.”

 

The Economist (June 15)

2013/ 06/ 15 by jd in Global News

“Now Mr Abe’s eagerly awaited “third arrow” of structural reforms has fallen well short of the rings, let alone the bull’s eye. Indeed, it is so wide of the mark that one is left wondering if Abenomics has failed before it even properly began.” The disappointing third arrow consisted mainly of “old-fashioned industrial policy which has been tried, and has failed, before… Meaningful deregulation, labour-market reform and steps to make agriculture competitive in order to prepare for the TPP were all shelved. Truly bold measures, such as boosting immigration or changing the electoral system to give proper weight to young and urban voters, are off the agenda entirely.”

 

The Economist (September 17)

2011/ 09/ 19 by jd in Global News

The Economist salutes Japan for succeeding. “The nation responded as one, dimming lights and cranking down the air-conditioning…. Peak electricity usage fell by nearly a fifth in the Tokyo region, compared with last year. Amazingly, Japan made it through the summer without blackouts.” The Economist provides a new challenge. “The new government should break up Japan’s electricity monopolies.” Japan needs a smart grid where pricing is linked to demand, monopolies are eliminated, and generation and distribution separated.

 

Wall Street Journal (December 22)

2010/ 12/ 24 by jd in Global News

Two partners in Bain & Company’s Tokyo office write “Japan’s marketplace isn’t a monolith.” They believe the cosmetics business provides “glimpses of what a better Japanese economy would look like.” During the past decade, cosmetics have benefited from deregulation such as the elimination of manufacturer’s recommended prices and relaxed procedures with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. “These reforms have had dramatic implications. By spurring new and dynamic competition, deregulation unleashed a refreshing spirit of innovation in an industry that had grown stagnant.” The authors believe companies, consumers and Japan’s economy have benefited because the “more competitive market forces companies to think more creatively about consumers’ needs.”

 

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