Japan and Junichiro Koizumi

Hosted by
Youthful looking and handsome, Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is being hailed as a leader who can revitalize a country in decline even though he's a veteran of the same Liberal Democratic Party that's blamed for causing his country's problems. Is he a reformer or a representative of the failed old guard dressed up in new clothes? We explore Japan's decline, it's relationship with Asia and the US, and whether its trendy-looking prime minister can restore the nation's luster. We're joined by journalists, academics, authors, researchers, and international consultants.
  • Reporter's Notebook: Dolphins Recognize Themselves in Mirror - Researchers call the ability to recognize oneself in a mirror an "exceedingly rare capacity in the animal kingdom." Until now, only humans and primates have been proven to do it. Now it appears that dolphins can too. Diana Reiss, a senior researcher at the New York Aquarium, tells us about an extraordinary breakthrough.

Asahi Shimbun (English)

Japan Policy Research Institute

New York Aquarium

New York Times

Pacific Basin Institute

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney