Re: [tlug] (OT) The enigma of Japan

["Stephen J. Turnbull" <stephen@example.com>]

Doug McLean writes:

 > Try living in the Republic of Ireland.  :)

Good example.  Can you come up with another?  I'd be happy to class
Ireland as an extremity, with Japan.  (After all, I'm mostly Irish,
except for the name and the liquid part, which are Scotch.)  Is
Ireland parliamentary (like the U.K.), or presidential (like the
U.S.)?

 > Alternatively, you *could* go visit a place like the People's Republic
 > of China, or other such countries, and see unbroken single-party rule,
 > and constitutional oddities like eternal president Kim Il-Sung (North
 > Korea).  Extreme examples, I know, but it's all a matter of
 > perspective.  ;)

No, those aren't relevant because they're not democratic.  Japan is.
In fact, unlike the U.S., Japan has a parliamentary system, which has
a very strong tendency to weaken the ruling party vis-a-vis a
presidential system.  JC will say I'm weaseling, but you, I expect,
will see the point.