In this podcast interview, Richard Katz, a special correspondent for Toyo Keizai and author of The Contest for Japan's Economic Future, discusses Japan's economic challenges and potential for recovery. He reflects on Japan's history, the rise of its industrial power, and the current economic stagnation. Katz emphasizes the importance of entrepreneurship and innovation, arguing that Japan needs to move away from propping up outdated industries and focus more on supporting startups. He explains how the existing economic model, including the lifetime employment system and zombie companies, has stifled growth and innovation. Katz calls for a balance between supporting large firms and encouraging new ventures, highlighting the need for government policy changes to foster entrepreneurship and drive economic growth in Japan. Richard's Links: Substack: https://richardkatz.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-katz-937308204/ Latest Book: https://www.amazon.com/Contest-Japans-Economic-Future-Entrepreneurs/dp/0197675107 Want to support the podcast? Check the podcast's ko-fi page to help keep me well-caffeinated and making content: https://ko-fi.com/businesssuccessjapan Be sure to follow or subscribe for more Japanese language and cultural insights. And if you enjoy the podcast, please leave a review so that other people can find it as well. And of course, if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. I'd love to hear from you! Leave me a voice message here: https://anchor.fm/businesssuccessjapan/message