Modern Japan has been a marvel of the developed world ever since it emerged from the ashes of WWII. Since then, Japan has built a shining city with a well developed infrastructure, but now it seems that there expenditures have come back to haunt them. In the article, Rising Debt a Threat to Japanese Economy by Hiroko Tabuchi of the NY Times, the economy is stripped to its bare bones and the reality of the situation is revealed. Post-war Japan cost a lot of money that now needs to be paid. Other factors that are pushing Japan further into their economic hole include the cost of healthcare and the cost of educating youth. However, it was clearly stated that Japan isn't in nearly as dire a situation as the US; the US has actually been lending money from Japan. Nonetheless, Japan needs to act quickly in order to keep themselves from sinking too far into debt and the people shouldn't be disillusioned by Japan's advertised success.
Today in class, we exercised lead formation in an article. Tabuchi's lead wasn't entirely to the point. He actually began with a question which is a bit odd for an article. The lead did not properly summarize the content of the article and it did not mention the important facts early enough in the article. Tabuchi did include many credible sources and was able to capture the main points-of-view. I especially enjoyed the comparison of the Japanese and US economy, because it was a good gauge of the Japanese economy for American readers. The photo illustration of half a Japanese flag ,included by the Times, was an interesting addition that complemented the article very well.
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