With the luxury of time and experience, I enjoy studying and observing the political dynamics at play in Japan. My conclusion: The more things change, the more they remain the same.

The most recent example: Japan’s “New Capitalism.”

Japan’s new prime minister Kishida Fumio’s promised a “New Capitalism,” his big idea to reinvigorate the country’s economy.  Months after his election its meaning is still unclear.

The biggest changes under Mr. Kishida have been rhetorical.  His “New Capitalism” appears to be a collection old ideas and empty buzzwords rather than a dynamic approach and structural reforms to deal with the country’s chronic economic ills and growing inequality.

Independent analysts point to the ghosts of the failed policies of former LDP prime ministers, from the “garden city” concept advocated by Ohira Masayoshi in the 1970s to Abe Shinzo’s so-called “Abenomics” from 2012 to 2020.

With Mr. Kishida’s voter approval ratings near 60%, it would appear that barring a major pandemic-related setback, there is little expectation of any significant change.

Bold words may make good politics, but are unlikely to help the economy.

“Behold, we know not anything;
I can but trust that good shall fall
At last — far off — at last, to all,
And every winter change to spring.”
― Alfred Lord Tennyson

Setsubun is a season changing festival held on February 2, 3 or 4, the day before “Risshun”, the first day of spring according to the Japanese lunar calendar. In 2022 it is celebrated on February 3rd.

Although not a national holiday, the Japanese have been celebrating Setsubun for centuries by performing rituals with the purpose of chasing away evil spirits at the start of spring.

In earlier times it was customary to loudly bang drums while burning dried sardines in order to deter evil spirits from entering your home. Now a common setsubun ritual is the throwing of roasted beans around one’s house. When throwing the beans, you shout “Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!” (“Devils out, happiness in”) and afterwards pick up and eat the number of beans which corresponds to your age. There are many variants.

But the most widespread custom, with or without other various embellishments, is the eating eho-maki sushi rolls.

Keiko and I have had much fun over the years with Setsubun celebration rituals.* Today we simply and quietly observed Setsubun by eating eho-maki sushi rolls for dinner.

However, like most Japanese customs, we had to follow the Rules about the proper way to eat the eho-maki! The most important thing about eho-maki is the unique way in which you eat it.

• First, the eho-maki is not an ordinary sushi roll. There are Seven Gods of Fortune that symbolize wealth and happiness in Japan and this sushi roll is prepared using seven different ingredients representing these Seven Gods of Fortune. The ingredients are wrapped into a very thick roll with rice and seaweed.

• Second, you must eat it whole. Failure to finish the role risks losing your good fortune! Considering the roll is about 1-2 inches in diameter and 5-8 inches long, it is easier said than done. Washing it down with ample amounts of sake helps the process.

• Third, when eating your eho-maki, stand facing the lucky direction of the year as you wish for prosperity and good health. The lucky direction changes every year. The direction to face while eating your eho-maki in 2022 is north-north-west. And don’t look away!

• Fourth, eat in complete silence until you are done! It is believed that speaking while eating could let your luck escape.

If you have not had a Setsubun experience, give it a try. It is a great fun way to celebrate the start of spring!

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*My favorite memories are of those we organized at the University of Maine. Check my blog post archives.

My favorite toy was a beloved 1972 Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser.  Purchased in 1977, it was the last vehicle I sold before I departed for Japan in October 2019.  It was a tearful ending of a 42-year love affair.

I spent countless hours and dollars restoring, upgrading, maintaining and operating my venerable FJ40, one of 35 vehicles I have owned in my lifetime.[1]

Toyota’s legendary Land Cruiser has a history that stretches back to the ’50s.  Launched in 1951, the Land Cruiser is Toyota’s longest-selling vehicle.  Over time, the once rugged short wheel-based 4X4 with awesome off-road capabilities became a powerful luxury SUV.  Sadly, the latest model revamped in 2021 for the first time in 14 years may also be its last.

With waiting times already stretching out to two years, Toyota just announced that customers in Japan face a four-year wait for the delivery of a new Land Cruiser.  It is unclear when and if the vehicle will be available elsewhere in the world.

I found it interesting that the Land Cruiser’s popularity in Japan has only recently increased as outdoor camping boomed here amid the pandemic.  According to news reports, Tokyo area car dealerships are asking buyers to sign pledges saying they aren’t purchasing the new model for resale purposes reflecting after-market prices of more than ¥15 million ($132,000) for the new Land Cruiser model compared with the manufacturer’s suggested retail price of around ¥5 million to ¥8 million, including tax.

The FJ 40 is the most popular variant of all Land Cruisers.  Introduced in 1960, the FJ40 has achieved classic car status with a significant world-wide following of enthusiasts and collectors.  In South America and Africa, the classic FJ is not really a classic—they are still indispensable for daily personal and commercial use.

I have seen only a few FJ40s in Tokyo but suspect there are more scattered throughout the country and I expect interest in the restoration of the classic 40 Series models will grow in Japan as is has in the United States. I had explored shipping my FJ40 to Japan, but found the import entry restrictions prohibitive.  Had it been possible, just imagine the enjoyment (and potential resale value)!

I no longer have a driver’s license but remain an FJ40 enthusiast and still carry a torch for the classic FJ.  The detailed 1/12 scale RC model I built of this most fondly remembered Toy is a remaining treasure.

Toyota receives numerous requests for the return of the FJ40 series or a later upscaled model called the FJ Cruiser. There have been many hopeful rumors circulating and fading for years. Is it just wishful thinking? Or will Toyota one day bring back the iconic FJ40 Land Cruiser?

[1] Be sure to see a series of upcoming posts on my first car, the complete FJ40 restoration story, and information on the many other vehicles I have owned in my lifetime.

Wednesday Tokyo reported 7,377 cases of coronavirus as Japan grapples with another wave of the pandemic. According to the health ministry, the number of cases nationwide was 454 on Jan. 1, but has reached a record high of more than 46,000.

Japan has so far weathered the coronavirus pandemic relatively well, with infection numbers and deaths just a fraction of many Western countries. But it is now struggling with a surge in the number of people infected with the highly contagious and rapidly spreading omicron variant of the virus.

The timing of the current surge in cases is clearly related to public behavior during the New Year holiday period.  Evidence suggests that the central government’s slow and inefficient rollout of a vaccination plan and the inconsistent start-stop decisions tightening and loosening guidelines on activity have greatly undermined business and general public confidence and compliance.

To curb the rapidly spreading omicron variant, the central government has once again decided to implement quasi-emergency measures designed to restrict social and business activities across 16 prefectures through February 13^th.  It also temporarily suspended its so-called vaccination-testing package that was designed to maintain economic and social activities.  The decision comes less than four months after Japan attempted to resuscitate economic activity by fully lifting emergency measures.

Under largely voluntary quasi-emergency measures, residents are asked to refrain from non-essential activities and avoid traveling across prefectural borders.  Prefectural governments can impose targeted measures including shortened business hours for eateries and other establishments, restrictions on the sale of alcohol in restaurants and bars, and/or limits on the number of customers in enclosed spaces.

Tokyo may ask restaurants and bars to close at 8 p.m. or 9 p.m.  Establishments that have been certified for having approved anti-infection measures will be able to serve alcohol until 8 p.m. Uncertified restaurants and bars will be asked not to serve alcohol and close at 8 p.m.

However, there is unusual skepticism about the government’s decision being voice by business leaders, health care professionals and the general public.  Skeptics question the need for and effectiveness of the policy citing Japan’s high vaccination rate, the less-deadly nature of the omicron variant and the predicted damage to the economy.  With recent public opinion polls demonstrating that much of the population seems to believe that the omicron variant is not a serious disease, it is unclear how many people and business establishments will be willing to cooperate.

While current data suggests that people infected with omicron are less likely to get severely ill and most cases in Japan are among the young, government officials and health care professionals are concerned that if the number of infections continues to surge, the wave of infection could eventually spread among elderly people who are more likely to develop severe symptoms and quickly overwhelm the nation’s health care system.

Health care professionals have urged the government to speed up the rollout of booster vaccinations, especially for Japan’s considerable aging population. In response, the government has shortened the interval for third doses — not only for people age 65 and above but also for the general public from March.  (I am scheduled to receive my booster on February 8^th.)

All said, it remains to be seen whether these renewed quasi-emergency measures will successfully reduce the spread of infections.