Showing 1 - 10 of 43
How nations can counter Trump's trade trickery
Oped, Koichi Hamada, Published on 10/05/2025
» Much has been written about US President Donald Trump's disastrous "reciprocal" tariffs, which, despite having remained in effect for less than 24 hours, roiled the stock market, drove up Treasury yields, and caused the dollar to depreciate. In fact, the tariffs that have so badly undermined markets' faith in the US were never reciprocal at all: they were entirely unilateral actions betraying a fundamental misunderstanding of economics.
Economy reeling
Oped, Postbag, Published on 26/03/2025
» Re: "Doom or data", (PostBag, March 21) & "The economy is waiting to hit an iceberg", (Opinion, March 20).
Trump's tariffs will end in tears all round
News, Koichi Hamada, Published on 24/03/2025
» If US President Donald Trump is skilled at anything, it is demagoguery. By stoking voters' fears and prejudices, he manages to win support for, or distract from, extreme policies that benefit himself, his family, and his (mostly ultra-rich) cronies, and cause serious harm to virtually everyone else. The key to his success is knowing which buttons to push.
Monetary policy really needs to tighten in Japan
Oped, Koichi Hamada, Published on 12/11/2024
» Last month, returning to Japan for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, I was struck by how significantly prices had increased. In February 2020, a simple lunch in downtown Tokyo cost about JP¥1,000, then the equivalent of about $10 (324 baht); today, it costs more like JP¥2,000. To some extent, this mirrors the experience in the US, where, even as inflation moderates, prices remain well above their pre-pandemic levels. The difference is that Japan has also experienced a sharp currency depreciation, which benefits foreign visitors: that JP¥2,000 bill translated to just $13.
The lasting legacy of Abenomics
Oped, Koichi Hamada, Published on 31/05/2024
» After the 1985 Plaza Accord pushed the yen's exchange rate sharply upwards, Japan's economy suffered a severe slowdown that proved mightily difficult to reverse. In fact, the only prime minister to oversee a period of consistent growth and high employment in the past three decades was Shinzo Abe, during his second term, which began in 2012.
Why don't Japanese give to charity?
Oped, Koichi Hamada, Published on 06/04/2024
» On Jan 1, as Japan celebrated the new year, a 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula, causing buildings to crumble, forcing mass evacuations, and leading to more than 200 deaths. But in the wake of the tragedy, something beautiful happened: an outpouring of support by philanthropic organisations and individuals, including support from beyond Japan's borders. More than 140,000 people donated US$5 million (183.7 million baht) through the Nippon Foundation alone.
Should fiscal policy resemble private budgets?
News, Koichi Hamada, Published on 06/11/2023
» Every few months this year, the US government appears on the verge of shutting down. It happened in May, when congressional Republicans initially refused to raise the debt ceiling, and in September, when Congress managed to avert a last-minute shutdown by passing a stopgap bill to keep the federal government open until Nov 17.
Abe Shinzo, it seems we hardly knew you
News, Koichi Hamada, Published on 10/07/2023
» A year has passed since former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo was assassinated by a gunman during a campaign rally in Nara on July 8, 2022. Much like the assassination of US President John F Kennedy in Dallas in 1963, Abe's murder marked a watershed moment in Japan's history.
Japan's giant of central banking
Oped, Koichi Hamada, Published on 16/05/2023
» Haruhiko Kuroda's ten-year tenure at the helm of the Bank of Japan was the most consequential in the central bank's history. Following his departure last month, it is worth reflecting on his record.
Remembering Shinzo Abe, the real liberal
Oped, Koichi Hamada, Published on 09/09/2022
» At former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's funeral in July, the streets were lined with people carrying flowers. His state funeral -- expected to be attended by world leaders -- will be held this Sept 27 in Tokyo.