Japan's Ready-For-Prime-Time Players (w/Derek Wessman)

Who will be Japan's next Prime Minister?
Japanese Margaret Thatcher?
The often shaken AND stirred Kono, TARO Kono?
Mr. Speak-softly-and carry-no-nukes?
Or Woman woman?

Former Diet Aide Derek Wessman tells us "the thing" about each of the four candidates.

Ollie's disappointed that the new boat doesn't work with the old charger.

Bobby is tired of Japan asking him if he's cold.

Topics discussed on this episode range from:

How hard we all tried to avoid this.Something that's been weighing on BrianPodcast guest scheduling issuesHow Derek wields his Twitter account and why his following loves himWhen and why he does his deep dives into Japan politicsThanks for all the TELL Step Up Challenge DonationsWhy we're seeing a PM replacement just before a general electionHow and why Suga's popularity plummetedA look back on Derek's Suga predictions from our Super Suga Special ShowSuga's efforts to prioritize the coronavirus pandemic post step-downWhat Suga got right and what the LDP hopes to continue to carry onSuga's CO2 PoliciesPerennial Candidate Noda Seiko and what her chances of leading the LDP areThe Fukuoka/Kitakyushuu RivalryNoda Seiko's weaknesses as a candidate, and whether or not she's just here to steal votes from KonoHow the office looks very different now that we're post Olympics, post vaccinationsHardline conservative Takaichi Sanae, and the power of the backing of AbeThe root of what her candidacy is about, and what the actual give and take is between conservative supporters and conservative politiciansThe truth about what revising Japan's constitution to allow it to have a military would meanTakaichi's Margaret Thatcher obsession and what we can learn from itKishida Fumio and the complicated web of LDP relationships and supportKishida's long gameBobby get's the word for denuclearization COMPLETELY WRONG: it's HIKAKUKA 非核化KONO TARO, and why non-G-folks generally like himHis vaccine roll-out and how he may have been pretty effective in navigating bureaucracyHis progressivenessWhat DISADVANTAGES Kono in this electionWho Derek thinks has the best chanceOllie asks which candidate would be the best if your goal is to tank the LDP

Topics discussed on the extras include:

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Social Media Links:

Derek Wessman: Twitter

Ollie Horn: Twitter | Instagram

Bobby Judo: Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

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We record remotely using Squadcast and the podcast is hosted on Transistor. Bobby uses the Samson Go Mic and Ollie uses the AT2005USB mic

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