Going Nowhere Fast

If you want a look at what's really ailing the Japanese economy, just drive over on any given weekend to the Ito-Yokado shopping center parking lot in Shinyurigaoka, a large suburb half an hour west of Tokyo. Actually, it doesn't matter where you go, since the same scene is played out at parking garages, train stations and construction sites all over the country. But on a typical weekend here in Shinyurigaoka, there are four guards at the intersection directing traffic. Another man is on hand to make sure you don't miss the turn that leads to the garage. Five meters down...

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