Ron Dore wrote:

>I'd like to read about [MOF Vice Minister Eijiro]
Katsu's lobbying for
>the agreement on the consumption tax but the site
Richard Katz quotes
>http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/politics/AJ20
1
>204050061.
>gets me nowhere. Help please. RD
>
>

A very reliable source in Tokyo told me about Katsu mediating between the LDP and DPJ during the final weeks of negotiation before the June vote on the tax hike .

The Asahi piece was a separate matter, a reporter's own analysis about the MOF-DPJ relationship. I just thought I'd pass it along to suggest some of the influences on Noda's thinking about Japan's fiscal situation and his decision-making on the tax hike.

Richard Katz
The Oriental Economist Report