French wine exports to Japan drop

Japan Times ^ | 11-7-2003 | Japan Times

[bonesmccoy]

French wine exports to Japan drop

PARIS (Kyodo) Wine exports from France to Japan in the 12 months through July dropped 10.6 percent from a year earlier, according to wine producers' data made available by Wednesday. The substantial fall in exports to Japan has partly caused a 2.7 percent fall in France's overall wine exports, which stood at 1.51 million kiloliters for the year.

A wine industry official attributed the slowed exports to Japan to the liquor tax hike in May and weak economic activity.

Exports to the United States decreased 8.8 percent, reflecting anti-French sentiment following the French government's opposition to the U.S.-led war in Iraq, industry officials said.

The Japan Times: Nov. 7, 2003

[bonesmccoy]

Let me repeat that: "Exports to the United States decreased 8.8 percent, reflecting anti-French sentiment following the French government's opposition to the U.S.-led war in Iraq, industry officials said."

Let me add this story from Yomiuri Shimbun: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20031107wo01.htm Japan-U.S. alliance 'stronger than ever' Yomiuri Shimbun

The Japan-U.S. alliance has endured because its purpose has remained valid after the Cold War and has only become stronger since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, according to a panel at a symposium Thursday titled "Redefining Japan and the U.S.-Japan Alliance" sponsored by the Japan Society and The Yomiuri Shimbun.

"The alliance is alive and well, and is in the best shape it has been in recent history," said Michael Armacost, a former U.S. ambassador to Japan. Armacost said the alliance was forged during the Cold War against an adversary, the Soviet Union. But it has endured for several reasons.

"First, some of the reasons for the alliance's existence are still valid. It allows the U.S. to project its power in the Pacific region and it protects our friends and U.S. security," he said.

"Second, the alliance has allowed Japan to obtain security at a lower cost and in a way that is in harmony with its Constitution. Finally, the alliance has provided reassurance to Japan's neighbors," he added.

Masakazu Yamazaki, a playwright, said the United States and Japan share a view of the world and, though Japanese were divided over the alliance: "The ideological differences are gone. Japan is united against terrorism. Only differences in nuance remain."

Makoto Iokibe, a professor at Kobe University, agreed with Yamazaki, saying, "Japanese people understand that the U.S. is the only country that can broker peace in Asia."

[sd-joe]

Could the US government have ever predicted the long term benefits of its OCCUPATION of Japan.

[bonesmccoy]

Occupation of Japan isn't the reason the Japanese are helping the US. They're helping us because they need the US to defend Japanese territory against North Korea.

While I am certain that neither FDR nor Truman had the foresight to predict this outcome (after all, they were trying to kill off the Japanese), the Ike/Nixon/Ford/Reagan people created trade and profit across the Pacific.

[ChadGore]

USA GDP = +7% . . . USA Unemployment down to 6.1% France floundering in a socialist malaise . . . Thank You GWB !!

[Gumption]

I agree. Who'd have thunk it.

[sd-joe]

The point is:

The Japanese were trying to kill us. We did whatever it took, and at a great cost of American lives and dollars, and DEFEATED them.

We then occupied them and converted them to a more friendly government.

The payoff since then has been tremendous.

This is a story of hope, as it applies to the situation in Iraq.

[sd-joe]

Great picture.

WTF is it?

[bonesmccoy]

Don't forget this guy...

[Joe 6-pack]

It's ULTRAMAN!!!!!!!!!

[M Kehoe]

Interesting post.

Are you back stateside?

5.56mm

[bonesmccoy]

You need to correct your historical view by clarifying that it was NOT the "Japanese" who were trying to kill you.

It WAS the militant Japanese gov't in 1930-1945 who was perp'ing that brand of fascism.

It's the difference between seeing that Islam is not attacking the US, it's militant Islamic fascists who are engaging in terrorism.

Most Japanese did not harbor ill will towards the US in 1941.

Most Muslims do not harbor ill will towards the US in 2001.

But, those who make profit from extremism will use the conflict to reinforce their view and their profit/power.

[Joe 6-pack]

"58 years after Mr. Truman declared the end of major combat operations, we are still quagmired in Japan."

[bonesmccoy]

lol

[Gumption]

I couldn't think of a better benefit than Ultraman.

[bonesmccoy]

Brokaw said that?

[Salvation]

**French wine exports to Japan drop**

LOL!

[bonesmccoy]

It's funny... the French guy is saying that "weak economic activity" was responsible for their fall in marketshare.

Gee... I wonder why.

In my March/April they hamper freedom in the Middle East.

In May, the French notice the effects of a "liquor tax".

I just looked up info on this liquor tax... the EU has been complaining to the Japanese about this tax for five years!

If the tax has been there, I doubt that the tax is really all that related to the downturn in consumption... unless the Japanese gov't changed their policy or increased taxation in early 2003.

still looking for more info.

[sd-joe]

I think that you are drawing a very fine distinction (fine in the sense of narrow).

We can go round and round on who is responsible in ANY group. Is it the leaders who are pulling the group in a given direction, or is it the members who are supporting the leaders that make it possible.

When we get to the point where they are killing us, it really doesn't matter any more. The only workable response is to overcome the group, leaders and members, with massive force. When they give up and stop killing us, we can work out putting it back together again.

[bonesmccoy]

I would add that civilian populations in totalitarian regimes do not possess the strength to alter national policy.

Clearly, Imperialist Japan was in just that type of position. The Japanese Imperial military was acting in the name of the crown, but the commoners had little impact on the national policies.

For this reason when Mac wrote the new Japanese constitution, voting was a part of the process.

Until the US altered the internal governmental process in Japan, there was no ability by Japanese people to impact their governmental politics/policies.