March 17, 2006. Volume 02, No. 11

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Click here for a transcript of today's program.

Welcome back for another week of the Japan Considered Podcast. Thanks again for subscribing, or for downloading the audio file. E-mail your suggestions and comments to me at japanconsidered@gmail.com.

This week we begin with response to a listener's question. Why all the coverage of the Democratic Party of Japan when they appear to be going nowhere.

After discussion of what we can learn from observing the DPJ, we shift to the first part of a two-week consideration of the race within the LDP to succeed Junichiro Koizumi as Party President. This includes profiles of the two leading candidates, and review of the April 2001 election that put Koizumi into office.

We conclude with a short clip from "Big Spike Hammer" from Volume Three of the Bluegrass Album: California Connection. You can order a copy of the CD from Rounder Records at the link below.

Some Links to individuals and organizations mentioned this week:

The Democratic Party of Japan

The Liberal Democratic Party

Shinzo Abe

Yasuo Fukuda

Yasuhiro Nakasone

Rounder Records