Showing 1 - 6 of 6
Is Takaichi Sanae the 'Iron Lady' of Japan?
Oped, Koichi Hamada, Published on 10/11/2025
» For the first time in its history, Japan's parliament has selected a woman, Takaichi Sanae of the Liberal Democratic Party, to be prime minister. In this sense, Ms Takaichi has already followed in the footsteps of her political idol, Margaret Thatcher -- the UK's first female PM. But whether she is remembered as Japan's own "Iron Lady" will depend on her ability to manage three key challenges: inflation, low female labour-force participation and a fraught geopolitical environment.
How to try and negotiate with Donald Trump
Oped, Koichi Hamada, Published on 16/07/2025
» Since Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, it has been virtually impossible to keep up with all the extreme measures, incendiary rhetoric, personnel changes, policy reversals, and breaches of rules and norms, from intelligence leaks to defiance of court orders. That is by design: like European fascists in the twentieth century, Mr Trump knows that it is far easier to manipulate and suppress an overwhelmed, divided, and disoriented public than an informed, engaged, and assured one.
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.
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.
When will inflation stop happening?
Oped, Koichi Hamada, Published on 10/05/2022
» Until a few years ago, major economies were struggling to achieve even mild inflation, with policymakers in the United States, United Kingdom and eurozone struggling to meet their targets of 2% annual price growth. But with the arrival and persistence of Covid-19, the world changed dramatically. Two years later, everyone is worried about soaring inflation and how it can be contained.