How is it Possible for Democracies to Effectively Tackle Long-Term Problems?

ABSTRACT

The aim of this essay is to examine if and how it is possible for the political system of democracy to effectively tackle long-term public problems that are wicked in nature, taking climate crisis as an example. It consists of four sections. The first section is devoted to a brief historical overview of the conflict between eco-authoritarianism and ecological democracy. The following section examines if and to what extent “environmental pessimism” – disillusionment with the ability of liberal/capitalist democracies to effectively tackle long-term environmental problems – which has made a remarkable comeback since late 1980s, is empirically grounded, on the basis of performance evaluation of the contracting parties to the Kyoto Protocol (adopted on 11 December 1997 and entered into force on 16 February 2005), and the Climate Change Performance Index that evaluates and ranks the climate mitigation performance of 58 countries responsible for over 90 per cent of global energy-related CO₂ emissions, released every year by Germanwatch and Climate Action Network Europe. The third section focuses on more theoretical/normative issues, critically examining the cogency of a claim, made by no small number of environmental pessimists, that democratic institutions, due to their myopic tendencies, usually work systematically to the disadvantage of future generations. The last section is devoted to the examination of measures thus far advocated and partly put into practice for correcting the myopic tendencies of democracy, emphasizing the vital need for non-representative measures, or self-restraint mechanisms built into democracy itself, whose primary function lies in preventing democracy from degenerating due to the influence of the myopic majority, thereby protecting ecological sustainability and the well-being of future generations.     

Polymorphism of eight X-chromosomal STRs in a Japanese population

Eight X-chromosomal short tandem repeat (X-STR) markers were analyzed in 258 unrelated Japanese (144 males and 114 females) using Mentype^® Argus X-8 PCR Amplification Kit (Biotype AG) which contains DXS7132, DXS7423, DXS8378, DXS10074, DXS10101, DXS10134, DXS10135 and HPRTB. The DXS10135 locus proved to be highly polymorphic marker (PIC: 0.945) and the DXS7423 showed the lowest value (PIC: 0.453). The exact test for genotype distribution showed no significant deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.     

Inefficiencies in Public Policies

'Government failures,' or inefficient public policies, can be classified broadly into two groups: those whose faults fall on the supply side and those that are imperfect on the demand side. The former are further divided into X-inefficiencies and those deriving from the failure to adequately perceive the actual policy benefits or costs. The latter result when policy demands are either inflated or lower than the socially optimal level. This article examines each of these groups in turn with the help of microeconomic analytical tools, proposing remedial political/policy measures for each.     

Comparative study of D1S80 typing by capillary electrophoresis and sequencing

The D1S80 locus is very useful for personal identification in Japan. To obtain a correct allele over 45, we examined PCR amplification product of the allele over 45 both by direct sequencing and fragment analysis using capillary electrophoresis. Direct sequencing finally determined the allele as being 57. However, it was calculated to be an allele of 56 by comparison with size markers for capillary electrophoresis. The difference could be attributed to the electrophoretic size markers. This finding indicates that the direct sequencing may be useful to determine the allele over 45 in the D1S80 locus.     

Blood typing of blood stains on sweat stains by the iso-agglutinins detection method

When a blood typing is made for mixed stains of sweat and blood, erroneous results may be obtained. The reason is that the blood group substance in the sweat is detected at the same time as that in the blood. In this paper the typing of the blood stain on the sweat stain is carried out by the detection of isoagglutinins which may give additional information to the forensic serologist.     

Emerging trends in Asia‐Pacific security: The role of Japan

A multi‐faceted approach, including the efforts (a) to maintain existing security arrangements, (b) to enhance security at the sub‐regional level in Northeast and Southeast Asia, (c) to enhance mutual reassurance among the countries in the region and (d) to deepen region‐wide economic cooperation, is vital for Asia‐Pacific security. Trends in these directions are emerging in the post‐cold war conditions. Japan‐US cooperation will continue to be the key element for the success of this approach. Changes in Japan will have positive implications for it.     

Simultaneous detection of ABO and Secretor-nonsecretor blood groups from forensic biological samples by fragment analysis

This paper describes the simultaneous detection of ABO and Secretor-nonsecretor (SE) blood groups from forensic biological samples by fragment analysis using the ABI PRISM^® 3130 genetic analyzer. The method allows the assay of well-known base changes at three nucleotide positions 261, 796 and 803 on cDNA of the ABO gene, and at 385 and 428 on cDNA of SE gene and a SE pseudo gene, so that reliable group prediction is established by the presence of representative alleles. As a result, simultaneous detection of ABO and SE blood groupings from biological samples was correctly determined by our methods.     

The recent situation in East Asia and Cambodia

A military coup in July 1997 mounted by Hun Sen against his co‐prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, derailed plans for Cambodia to join ASEAN, an outcome that was unfortunate not only for Cambodia but for the region as a whole, according to Yukio Imagawa. Ambassador of Japan to Cambodia from 1992 to 1996, Imagawa was closely involved in the Cambodian peace process from the time of the Paris Peace Talks in 1989. In this paper, he examines the factors that caused dissension within the Cambodian government in the years following the success of the 1993 UN‐sponsored election, and throws light on the efforts of the international community to ensure the continuance of peace and of democratic government in Cambodia     

12 Y-chromosomal STR haplotypes in Japanese

Haplotypes and allele frequencies of 12 Y-STRs were examined in a population sample of 381 Japanese male volunteers. A total of 315 haplotypes were identified, of which 288 haplotypes were unique, and 18, three, three, two, one and one were found in two, three, four, five, eight and 18 individuals, respectively. Total gene diversity was 0.997.