June 1, 2007. Volume 03; Number 20

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Click here for a transcript of this program.

Thanks for dropping by again to the Japan Considered Podcast. Each week at this time we consider recent events in the news with longer-term significance for Japan's domestic politics and conduct of international relations. The mobile studio is home this week, making production just a little easier. Hopefully, improving the quality of the sound.

Another busy week in Japan. We begin the program with an interview with Dr. James Auer, Director of the Center for U.S.-Japan Studies and Cooperation at Vanderbilt University. A number of you asked for more information about the current debate over collective security, and Jim provides that. Great information and analysis from one of best on this subject. See a copy of Jim's interview on the Japan Considered Project Interviews page by clicking here.

Then we turn to the unfortunate death on Monday of Agriculture Minister, Toshikatsu Matsuoka. Japan's political news has been full of articles on this subject. Most of them focused on the effect of Matsuoka's suicide on the Abe Cabinet and next month's Upper House election. While all that is undoubtedly important, I think there is broader, longer-term significance of Matsuoka's death that we should consider. So we do!

Finally, we have that bluegrass clip I promised you last week. From The Man, John Duffey. Hope you enjoy it. If you don't yet have your own copy off "Always in Style," click here to go over to the Country Sales site to buy one. Or, it's also available for download from iTunes. Just enter "Always in Style" in the search window, or even "John Duffey." Though I warn you, results from the latter search string may cost you more than you expected to spend!