Japanese protests

Not a Joke – Japan Hired Girl Band to Help Sell Government Bonds

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*Note:  This story is old. In fact, it’s from 2012, but I had already hit publish by the time I recognized this oversight. So while this is NOT a new story, it is true, and the sentiments I share remain valid. 

Japan is the prime example of what happens to a nation when lunatics are permitted to centrally plan an economy for several decades. As many of you will remember, the following advertisement was a real pitch used by the finance ministry several years ago to sell JGBs, i.e., Japanese government bonds.

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Fast forward a few years, and we have this…

From the Telegraph:

Japan’s cash-strapped government is reportedly turning to popular music group AKB48 to help it sell government bonds, as interest in the low-yield paper wanes.

The debt campaign will see AKB48 – comprising about 90 performers, ranging in age from early teens to mid-20s – joined by sumo wrestling’s champion Hakuho and female football star Homare Sawa, Japan’s Jiji press agency reported. 

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Video of the Day – Brawl Breaks Out in Japanese Parliament Over “War Bill”

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What do you get when you cross a collapsing economy with a government determined to pass a bill to make overseas military conflicts easier? You get this:

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Yep, this is what transpired overnight as tensions flared over the controversial “War Bill,” which Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is determined to pass in the face of public opposition. I covered this story last month in the post, Unusually Massive Protests Erupt in Japan Against Forthcoming “War Legislation.” Here’s an excerpt:

This story is very important. Not only will this action increase the likelihood of World War III in the Far East, but it’s another important example of a government acting against the will of the people.

Polling has indicated the Japanese public is against a pivot toward militarization and war, but Prime Minister Shinzo Abe  is pushing forward nonetheless. In fact, the current legislation to allow overseas military intervention has already passed the lower house of government. This prompted many Japanese to emerge from their decades long political apathy and get out into the streets. It’s estimated these protests were the largest in recent memory.

Now here’s the latest. From the Guardian:

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