steadily over the last decade, up to a bare majority of 52% in 2021, that said, a bare majority of 52% in 2021, that said. that a bare majority of 52% in 2021, that said, that was before russia s invasion said, that was before russia s invasion of ukraine, and what we ve seen invasion of ukraine, and what we ve seen in invasion of ukraine, and what we ve seen in the invasion of ukraine, and what we ve seen in the us government is a wide range seen in the us government is a wide range of seen in the us government is a wide range of measures short of direct us military range of measures short of direct us military involvement. i suspect we might military involvement. i suspect we might see military involvement. i suspect we might see something similar, but it would might see something similar, but it would depend on the exact nature of the crisis would depend on the exact nature of the crisis |f would depend on the exact nature of the crisis. ifi would depend on th
because of the way the gun crimes are structures, particularly in japan. it s extraordinarily difficult to get a gun through legal means. it s a time that everybody here in the region is taking a step back. you know, trying to catch their breath and certainly, many, many people are shooting for shinzo abe s recovery and hoping that the news, which sounds grim at the moment, will turn out to be good and he s able to pull through, michael. absolutely. going back to your time in japan, shinzo abe was seen as a nationalist politician. i mean, how did that play out politically, policy-wise and how people viewed him? well, he certainly was somebody who believed in the national dignity of japan. as you said, a japanese nationalist, who wanted to see japan play a more assertive role in the region, when it comes to its military involvement. after japan s defeat, without
import. we can see considerable instability, food riots, or worse around the world. the idea of organizing some type of a flotilla, the model is in the late 1980s when kuwaiti tankers were escorted by the united states in the context of the iran/iraq war. that is a possibility. we d have to get turkey onboard given its unique position in the black sea. we have to get the countries that import grain involved, the egypts of the world. we wouldn t want it to be simply an american or nato effort. i think it is a long shot, fareed. it would be a bold step. up to now we ve obviously avoided any type of direct military involvement. i m not saying we should rule it out but, one, i think it is risky and, two, a long shot that we d be able to organize it. so we may need to think about imperfect approaches for example importing as much or exporting rather as much as we can of ukrainian grain out through places like romania. like i said, it is a second best
united states in the context of the iran/iraq war. that is a possibility. we d have to get turkey onboard given its unique position in the black sea. we have to get the countries that import grain involved, the egypts of the world. we wouldn t want it to be simply an american or nato effort. i think it is a long shot, fareed. it would be a bold step. up to now we ve obviously avoided any type of direct military involvement. i m not saying we should rule it out but, one, i think it is risky and, two, a long shot that we d be able to organize it. so we may need to think about imperfect approaches for example importing as much or exporting rather as much as we can of ukrainian grain out through places like romania. like i said, it is a second best outcome, but less risky and might be something more within our control. stay with me. when we come back i want to