Japan makes a stand, sort of
East Asia will not overcome its financial difficulties without the help of Japan. In three articles, we look at Japan’s attempt to revive its own economy, the hopes it has dashed among its neighbours, and the collapse of the main opposition party at home
“TODAY we solved the Japan problem,” said a confident Eisuke Sakakibara, the voluble big cheese at Japan's finance ministry. He was describing on December 17th the third economic package to be announced in as many months by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which dominates the coalition government. Though that package was far from empty, Japan has still not got to grips with its own financial mess. That risks aggravating the one that is still sweeping through South-East Asia and neighbouring South Korea.
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Japan makes a stand, sort of”
From the December 20th 1997 edition
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