Policymakers know what Japan’s problems are: An aging society, a declining birthrate and low productivity are to name a few. Yet the inward-focused nation still tries to solve 21st century problems with outdated thinking and solutions which worked well in its high-growth period between 1954 and 1973.
Sadly, as you point out, the sclerotic Japanese political "leadership" is still stuck in a Showa-era mindset. Until the Japanese public school system and universities undertake fundamental curricular reform aimed at fostering critical and analytical thinking skills, applied logic and problem solving, and rewarding initiative, individuality and creativity rather than conformity and collective responsibility, a robust entrepreneurial class is unlikely to emerge. Currently, venture capitalists like Maezawa san, formerly CEO of Zozotown, are hard pressed to find viable projects to fund, and it may well be that Japan's last truly great entrepreneur and innovator was Morita Akio.
I wonder if Japanese start convention organizers could learn from Comiket. It had 760,000 attendees in 2019 and 35,000 self publishers. It was started and organized by Japanese for Japanese but not by bureaucrats.
Sadly, as you point out, the sclerotic Japanese political "leadership" is still stuck in a Showa-era mindset. Until the Japanese public school system and universities undertake fundamental curricular reform aimed at fostering critical and analytical thinking skills, applied logic and problem solving, and rewarding initiative, individuality and creativity rather than conformity and collective responsibility, a robust entrepreneurial class is unlikely to emerge. Currently, venture capitalists like Maezawa san, formerly CEO of Zozotown, are hard pressed to find viable projects to fund, and it may well be that Japan's last truly great entrepreneur and innovator was Morita Akio.
I wonder if Japanese start convention organizers could learn from Comiket. It had 760,000 attendees in 2019 and 35,000 self publishers. It was started and organized by Japanese for Japanese but not by bureaucrats.
Great to see the Mighty Eagle (Peter) devoting his energies like this. He’s a force of nature.