East Asia News & Politics Thread: China, South Korea, Japan...

You'd think that checking whether someone can actually leave the country legally would be standard procedure when choosing an ambassador.

One theory is that Yoon appointed this guy, who was banned from leaving the country because he is a flight risk, as ambassador, specifically because Yoon wanted him to avoid the investigation.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2024/01/24/japan/us-navy-lieutenant-japan/

Commentary on the Ridge Alkonis case. Author says Tokyo shouldn't say sorry to the likes of Senator Mike Lee.

Guardian: Almost 12,000 South Korean doctors are striking over a planned increase in trainee doctor intake, prompting steps by the government to suspend their medical licences.

I.. Don't know if the doctors are in the right here? They want to prevent more doctors from entering the field and to instead have their salaries increased.

I don't know well enough about medical industry to judge if their complaints are valid or not.

But I know for certain that the Korean public's reaction is...really negative, to say the least.

Yes, according to that article the public polling supports having more doctors. A little less than half of those polled want severe punishments for the striking doctors too.

So. Yeah. The public isn't really on the strikers' side here.

And it's not hard to see why. The strikers' demands are:

• More pay

• Lighter workloads

• Not having that recruitment drive

From the perspective of likely overworked medical professionals, the first two are understandable.

But the thing is, you need more professionals to compensate for the lighter workload! It's not like people are going to stop getting sick and injured to make your jobs easier!

Edited by M84 on Mar 12th 2024 at 10:48:34 PM

Vice News on the Taiwanese semiconductor industry and plans to invest in it more in order to try and level it up with China.

Re: SK doctor strike

Right now in South Korea, the people with the highest test scores become doctors, and it's very difficult to get into med school. And so many feel that expanding enrollment would give spots to those who haven't "earned" it the way they have. So I honestly have very little sympathy - the main Korean doctor's association is usually more about gatekeeping and maintaining their prestige over actually improving working conditions for medical professionals.

However, I've heard something about how increasing the # of doctors is related to the push by Yoon's government to privatize health insurance? It's not something I've been able to look into, so I'm not sure if these two policies are related, but it does worry me a bit.

It's a bundle of issues tied together. Pay, work hours, privatization of the medical insurance system, preserving doctors' elite status.

One of these things doesn't belong in that mix of demands, and will be used as a wedge by Yoon to drop the hammer on the whole thing.

They've already successfully prevented the government from increasing enrollment in medical schools by going on strike and medical students boycotting the medical license exam in 2020.

From what I've heard, the government is using the crisis as an excuse to allow telehealth, which is suspected of paving the path for the tech industry to start for-profit healthcare.

https://www.timeout.com/news/out-of-control-behaviour-why-kyoto-has-banned-tourists-from-its-popular-geisha-district-030824

I think sometimes we want to think about how easy is going for Japanese authorities to identify a tourist and prevent him to enter Gion, while I think masification is hitting big in Japan, Europe and everywhere... not sure if there is a theme about how massive tourism is becoming a trouble in the world...

It's only the private alleys and stuff; public roads like Hanamikoji Street will still be open. Still, I'm gonna need to note that down when I go there next week...

Tourists are just the worst. They think that because they spent a shitload of money for their vacations that it gives them the right to be the rudest guests possible.

I try not to be shitty when I go on tours, but I've probably still managed to annoy locals before.

Edited by M84 on Mar 14th 2024 at 10:49:53 PM

Not only Kyoto.

I know that even in some spots in Hiroshima, they're considering tourists (local or foreign) to pay up.

Going to Mount Fuji... I'm hearing you need to pay.

Edited by Ominae on Mar 14th 2024 at 11:49:11 AM

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15197461

Tokyo District Court ruled that Asahara's remains be handed over to his second daughter.

The Sapporo High court ruled that Japan's lack of recognition of same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. The Tokyo district court gave a decision saying that the lack of recognition of same-sex marriage was in a state of unconstitutionality. As both courts denied the plaintiffs' demands that the government pay damages, they said they will appeal to the Supreme Court.

Can someone remind us how judicial review works in Japan? AFAIK there is no Constitutional Court/Council like in some other countries, then how do unconstitutional laws get fixed?

I think that applies to everyone, not just foreign tourists and is to keep up with increased maintenance from more people doing the climb.

Well, yeah. Ominae's post mentions it applies to foreign and local tourists.

This happens every year, its going to go up to the supreme court who is going to once again rule that the lower courts are wrong, and they would be right... our constitution explicitly declares marriage is one man and one woman, so they are legally in the right to do so.

We need the diet to actually change the laws, but the problem is that the diet is controlled by the LDP who are conservative, and they cant even amend the constitution for there personal conservative wants, there sure not going to do it over something the party platform is against.

Which is to say just like in March 2021, June 2022, May 2023, June 2023, and a whole lot more times that I am forgetting about this is going to go no where, as much as I really.... really want it too and have protested in favor of....

TL:DR; No-Same Sex Marriage is defined in the constitution, so only the diet can change it.

Edited by Imca on Mar 15th 2024 at 8:28:52 PM

And how likely is it that they will? I’m guessing not very.

The Japanese populace would have to elect a Diet where the majority of members are willing to vote for a change in the constitution itself for the purpose of allowing same-sex marriage.

As for how likely that is...<shrug>

Its explicitly agianst party platform, so almost none.

The irony is that the general public does support same sex marriage.... the LDP and the public disagree on a lot, but they keep getting elected due to various reasons....

Kishida has absolutey devastated the public support for the LDP though, dropping it to the 20%s last I checked.... so maybe we will get an opposition party next time?

Edited by Imca on Mar 15th 2024 at 8:41:50 PM

What makes Kishida so much worse in the public eye compared to Abe?

The opposition will have to get together...