(Tokyo Tower and Haneda Airport around the Tokyo Bay)
YOUNG POLITICS
Sometimes I do something that can be otherwise abandoned and left because I don’t have to though I am neither a statesman nor a manager of a religion company.
SECTION I: The Obama Effect on Japan
Will the outcome of the brilliant victory of Mr. Barack Obama influence the Japanese national politics?
Yes, it will; the coalition of the LDP and New Komeito will probably have to give up the reins of government if a snap election is held at any time until the termination of the term of House of Representatives members, namely next September.
However, if the Democratic Party of Japan is put into power with some allies, including a breakaway faction from the LDP, it may lose the subsequent Upper House election due to possible recovery of economy and the rise of patriotism, leading to another unstable condition.
Nonetheless, as it is said that Mr. Ichiro Ozawa, the top leader of the DPJ, is pro-America as much as Prime Minister Mr. Taro Aso is, the relationship between Japan and the United States will not be derailed if the regime change should occur in Japan in near future.
Anyway, this afternoon, the two top political leaders of Japan, Mr. Ozawa and Prime Minister Mr. Aso, will have a face-to-face debate in a special session of the national Diet.
SECTION II: Japanese Obamas
There are no African Japanese lawmakers in the national Diet of Japan. Except several Diet (Parliament) members, almost all of the 720 national lawmakers in Japan are of the Japanese race(s).
So, they all look very different from Mr. Barack Obama and Mr. Joe Biden.
Anyway, national lawmakers of Japan I like to introduce here are as follows:
YUKARI SATO (LDP)
Ms. Sato stopped update of her blog this February when her constituency was changed to Tokyo. Yet, she recently reported that she joined a committee on finance to question the Finance Minister on urgent measures to bolster the financial system.
In her home page, she argued that economic growth (lnY) is a sum of a growth of total factor productivity (lnA), a growth of capital (a*lnK), and a growth of labor force (b*lnL):
lnY = lnA + a*lnK + b*lnL
Especially Ms. Sato emphasized importance to strengthen the labor-force base that has enhanced purchasing power.
(Some of her fans say that she has both brains and beauty, since she once studied economics in New York.)
( http://www.y-sato.org/policy/index.html )
MUNEO SUZUKI (Shinto Daichi)
Mr. Suzuiki, a notable come-back member of the Lower House, criticized Prime Minister Mr. Taro Aso for his recent comments. Even the media have dealt severely with recent behaviors of the Japan’s Prime Minister as his words seem to reflect too much of his own personal judgment which should not be expressed publicly as he is the top of the Japanese Government.
Mr. Suzuki argued that as Prime Minister Mr. Aso was born and raised in a super-rich family he cannot understand minds and hearts of ordinary and poor people.
Mr. Suzuki, a veteran but marathon-loving lawmaker, also pointed at the incumbent Chief Cabinet Secretary and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretaries having shallow experiences in politics.
( http://www.muneo.gr.jp/html/page001.html )
HIROSHIGE SEKO (LDP)
It must be useful for foreign researchers of the Japanese politics to check his blog, since it shows how a Japanese politician is communicating with supporters in his constituency, though Mr. Seko is a member of the House of Councilors of the national Diet.
Recently he was very much embarrassed to find that a certain high-level lobbying group from his electorate used his title of four years ago in a petition.
He is a busy man since the Upper House is now under control of the opposition parties, consulting sometimes with former Prime Minister Mr. Shinzo Abe and Mr. Yoshiro Mori.
( http://blog.goo.ne.jp/newseko )
AKIRA NAGATSUMA (DPJ)
Mr. Nagatsuma is a real hero, since he has revealed many errors and breeches of duty of officials of the Social Insurance Agency.
He has made many TV appearances since his investigation gave a great shock to the Japanese people who blindly trusted the Social Insurance Agency for decades.
Millions of Japanese people are losing some part of their promised pensions due to unfaithful performance of bureaucrats.
If DPJ is able to take the helm of the nation in the coming general election, the number-one person of merit is Mr. Akira Nagatsuma, in my humble view.
( http://naga.tv/diary.htm )
NOBUTERU ISHIHARA (LDP)
It is not because Mr. Nobuteru Ishihara is the eldest son of political super-star Mr. Shintaro Ishihara, the Governor of Tokyo, that I focus on him.
Mr. Ishihara, a lawmaker of the House of Representatives, presents his interview with former Prime Minister Mr. Jyunichiro Koizumi. However, it was before Mr. Koizumi was elected as Japan’s Prime Ministers in 2001 that Mr. Ishihara had this interview with Mr. Koizumi.
Remarkably, Mr. Koizumi looks like having honestly observed his words he had made public before his assuming the premiership, since he took the seat of Prime Minister until he left it in 2006.
Accordingly, Mr. Ishihara was assigned to some important Cabinet posts by Mr. Koizumi.
( http://www.nobuteru.or.jp/mass/koizumi.html )
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That is all for today.
(Indeed maybe they are still young like Mr. Barack Obama if you are much younger, since veterans of WWII seem to have some die-hard influence even today.
http://www.fukuchan.ac/music/gs/anotokikimiwa.html )
Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.