Japanese Post Office

From BBC Article:

"Japan has started the privatisation of its postal service, forming the world's largest commercial bank in the process.

"Under a 10-year plan, Japan Post is being split into four firms to run its banking and insurance operations, mail deliveries and post offices.

"Japan Post's banking unit has 400 million accounts and assets of 349.8 trillion yen ($3 trillion; £1.5 trillion), the world's largest.

"The banking and insurance units should float on the stock exchange by 2010."

Governor Privatize

Personally, I think there are plenty of worse things a governor could be nicknamed. Indiana governor Mitch Daniels has earned the nickname due in large part to his leasing of the Indiana Toll Road to a private entity for 75 years. Predictably, privatization of government assets and/or services is being demonized by many of the usual suspects. While, in general, I support such privatization efforts, I have to say that I have heard few arguments in favor of them better than those offered by Governor Privatize:

"From his printer, he pulled out a sheet of paper bearing a one-sentence quotation attributed to a Democrat, former Gov. Mario M. Cuomo of New York: 'It is not government’s obligation to provide services, but to see they’re provided.'

"'Government is the last monopoly,' Mr. Daniels said. 'So competition is the key. That’s why I’m indifferent — public or private, as long as the benefits of competition are brought to bear.'"