1990s earthquakes
economic
	massive downturn
	banks made bad loans
	real estate bubble burst
	gov't takes blame
		tendency to micromanage industry, strong suggestions
		backed poorly researched business plans
		thought mainframe computers were the way to go
political
	dominated by the lib dems, so blamed on them
	corruption scandals
	large amounts of cash
	kickbacks
	splinter parties from LDP
new parties
	japan new party
	japan renewal party
	new frontier party

lack of unity creates instability
forming and breaking of coalitions
ldp falls apart and loses dominance
new leadership denounces corruption
corruption tends to go with poverty, political instability, conflict

leadership (PM)
	koizumi 2001-2006
		had to step down after two terms
		very popular
		lib dems
		less involved in economy
		japan post does mail as well as banking, insurance, and other services
		holds snap elections to gain strength in lower house to get privatization plans pushed through
		with shift over to private control in 2017, break up functions into different corporations, biggest part of his legacy
		handles demographic crisis, birth rate too low to sustain population
		encourage child care at lower cost
		emphasize work ethic
	Shenzou Abe 2006-2007
		expected to be new/fresh face for lib dems
		relatively younger than most in ldp
		renewal, vigor
		makes controversial/radical statements about foreign policy (comfort women)
		japan has been reluctant to take responsibility
		he says that comfort women existed, but were not coerced, revisionist history
		visits yasukuni shrine to pay homage to WWII dead expansionist leaders
		caused popularity of ldp to decrease, lost control of upper house
		odd timing on resignation
	Fukuda 2007-2008
		very clearly US ally
		very cooperative with war on terror
		stated that he would not go to shrine like Abe did
		still wanted to go beyond post-war regime
		wants a military controlled by japan, jdp opposed
		confronted with some delays in renewing some things
		reports that some confessions are coerced
		no notice of executions
	Taro Aso sept 24, 2008
		in power for about a week
		this nomination process was particularly transparent
		most discussion in open meetings
		grandfather was PM
		fond of manga
		has been a foreign minister
		somewhat hawkish
		talks of policies in taiwan and korea, seems to be revisionist history
		proposes more gov't spending and taxing