Bloomberg (March 31)
1. 2. 3…. 1,199,999,999. The world’s biggest census is taking place. India hopes to count each of its approximately 1.2 billion citizens. Data will be stored in a National Population Register. This database will include fingerprints and photos to accurately recognize every Indian over the age of 15. The census is expected to cost $1.3 billion, involve 2.5 million census takers in collecting the data, and finish in February 2011.
Wall Street Journal (March 29)
In an editorial titled “Post-Post-Reform Japan,” the Wall Street Journal looks at the proposal put forward by Postal and Financial Services Minister Shizuka Kamei to double the cap on postal deposits to 20 million yen. The Journal believes “Mr. Kamei is installing a tap through which money could leave the private banks at the worst possible time.” While the proposal might be good politics for Kamei and his People’s New Party, the Journal considers the proposal “terrible economics… and that makes it awful politics for Mr. Hatoyama himself.” The Journal urges the Prime Minister not to undo postal reform, which it considers “one of the few important economic reforms left from the LDP era.”
The Financial Times (March 28)
“In the past 10 days, Barack Obama has pulled off the two biggest achievements of his US presidency.” The first, healthcare, is receiving much attention. But the second, an arms control agreement with Russia, could make “the world a safer place.” The treaty allows Obama to more persuasively push stricter arms control at upcoming global meetings, including April’s summit on nuclear security and May’s review of the Nonproliferation Treaty. The Financial Times is impressed, writing “Mr Obama has set out on a noble path….he has already made progress to a safer world.”
Business Week (March 25)
In the U.S. calls are increasing for China to weaken its currency. Debate hinges on whether pushing aggressively or waiting patiently is the best policy. Hong Kong business titan William Fung thinks neither strategy will work. Fung predicts China will not budge on the exchange rate because Chinese leaders do not want to repeat Japan’s mistake. What was that mistake? Allowing the yen to depreciate in 1985. Chinese officials “think the Plaza Accord was the beginning of the Lost Decade.”
New York Times (March 22)
After a year of heated debate, Congress approved health care reform. This “accomplishment of historic proportions” will end America’s distinction as the only advanced industrial nation to not provide its citizens with near universal health care coverage. While the long running health care debate has been both “wrenching” and “tainted,” the New York Times nevertheless proclaims “a triumph for countless Americans who have been victimized or neglected by their dysfunctional health care system.” The newspaper adds, however, that current reforms should be seen as “a start on health care reform, not the end.”
The Financial Times (March 21)
Urging eurozone members to put pride aside, the Financial Times writes “pride is a poor foundation for policy.” The eurozone should step aside and ask the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help Greece out of its fiscal mess. The Financial Times believes the eurogroup is ill equipped to provide the technical assistance Greece needs and, at any rate, is simply incapable of “rational policymaking” with tempers running so hot.
Wall Street Journal (March 17)
India’s Tata Motors keeps making headlines. First, it bought Jaguar and Land Rover. Then, it began marketing the world’s most affordable car, the $2,500 Nano, in India. Now Tata plans to launch a $10,000 electric minicar, the Nano EV, in Europe during 2012. Tata is targeting a new segment: an eco-conscious younger generation, many of them first time car buyers. Current offerings, which include Mitsubishi’s $40,000 MiEV hatchback, effectively price many of these young car buyers out of the market. A Wall Street Journal opinion piece believes the “Nano EV may prove to pack a historically large punch.”
The Times (March 16)
In Japan, JAL crew members are making sacrifices to keep their airline alive. In contrast, British Airways cabin crew are striking. The Times applauds the Prime Minister’s statements calling the strike “deplorable” and “unjustified.” Gordon Brown went on to say, the strike “is not in the company’s interest, it is not in the workers’ interest and it is certainly not in the national interest”.
New York Times (March 15)
A 2,200 page report reveals Lehman Brothers “was aggressively massaging its books.” Creative window dressing allowed Lehman to move about $50 billion in illiquid assets off balance sheet. The massive scale of this accounting trick has caught even industry insiders by surprise. The New York Times calls the report a reminder “of the crying need for adult supervision of Wall Street” and warns that “we could be blindsided again. Congress is not even close to passing meaningful regulatory reform.”
The Economist (March 10)
In Japan, much concern centers on deflation. The Economist, however, asserts living in Tokyo is getting more expensive compared with 132 cities around the globe. An annual survey shows Tokyo has moved up to second place from sixth place one year ago. Paris was named the most expensive city to live in the world. And Oslo, previously ranked number one, fell to third place.