Obama speaks of Asia's 'amazing success stories and rapidly expanding markets', but in Japan, those notions are memories rather than aspirations. He views Asia as a catalyst for the US economic recovery, but Japan's economy serves more as a cautionary tale of mismanagement.
As host for both Obama's visit and an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Yokohama this weekend, Japan finds itself in the spotlight, flaws on full display.
Its alliance with the United States still shows some bruise marks. Its ongoing territorial dispute with China has strained a vital economic relationship. Its GDP is crawling. Its population is shrinking. Its government appears increasingly at a loss for solutions.
If they see eye to eye on little else, Japan's leaders agree that they are falling behind. They see South Korea beating it to free-trade agreements, knocking down barriers for Seoul's exporters.
They hear Obama's speech in India, where he called the country's two-decade economic surge 'one of the most stunning achievements in human history'. For Japan, playing catch-up is complicated, with even well-intentioned campaigns to adapt stalling amid acrimony. -- AP
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