Latest news with #VoxDei
Asahi Shimbun
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Asahi Shimbun
VOX POPULI: Hyogo Governor Saito can't evade accountability with platitudes
Governor Motohiko Saito of Hyogo Prefecture attends a news conference on May 28 in Kobe's Chuo Ward. (Takuya Tanabe) One classic example of politico-talk is 'shinshi ni uketometai,' which translates as, 'I intend to take (this matter) with the utmost sincerity.' This was repeated about 30 times by Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito during his news conference on March 26. He continued uttering the phrase while rejecting the assessment of the prefecture's third-party committee that he had broken the law in his handling of a whistleblower. Saito effectively declared that he had no intention of abiding by the decision of the very committee he himself had formed. And yet, he reiterated that he was taking the situation with the utmost sincerity. The above passage is excerpted from the March 28 installment of the Vox Populi column, which examined Saito's dubious response to a whistleblowing case. As someone expected to choose words with care and sincerity, I recognize that reusing a passage from a previous column may seem disingenuous. Yet, that is precisely what Saito himself is doing—regardless of the question posed to him, his responses consistently sound like they've been copied and pasted. In his most recent news conference on May 28, his oft-repeated platitude about handling the matter 'with the utmost sincerity' appeared just eight times. Yet his stance remains unchanged. This time, a third-party committee—different from the one cited in the March 28 column—investigated the leak of private information concerning a now-deceased whistleblower who had alleged corruption and harassment at the highest levels of the prefectural government. Based on multiple testimonies, the panel concluded that sensitive personal information about the whistleblower—who had served as head of the prefectural office overseeing the Nishi-Harima region—was most likely leaked under the instruction of the governor and former deputy governor. This is no minor issue. Yet, Saito continues to reject the committee's findings, even as he reportedly expresses a wish to personally apologize to the bereaved family of the late bureau chief. What, exactly, does he intend to apologize for—and how? The prefectural assembly will likely question the future course of the administration. But Saito's conduct carries implications that extend well beyond the boundaries of a single local government. What is truly troubling is the risk that his evasive style of response could set a precedent—becoming a 'model' for others to emulate. Even in the face of criticism over his handling of the whistleblower case, Saito continues to insist that his response was 'appropriate.' In 'The Passionate State of Mind,' U.S. philosopher Eric Hoffer (1902–1983) wrote: 'The justification of a past crime is the planting and cultivation of future crimes.' —The Asahi Shimbun, May 30 * * * Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
Asahi Shimbun
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Asahi Shimbun
VOX POPULI: The stupidity of the White House turning a blind eye to fascism
German author Erich Kastner (1899-1974), whose works included children's literature, secretly kept a diary while resisting the Nazi regime. In May 1945, he described an Austrian village where the wartime blackout ended upon liberation from German rule: 'The light is back on in the window!' Men shaved off their 'Hitler moustaches' before mirrors. Women cut out the Nazi swastika from flags and sewed on patches of white sheet. 'The flag of freedom fluttered,' Kastner wrote. On May 7, exactly 80 years ago, Germany surrendered and World War II ended in Europe. In Britain and the United States, confetti rained on jubilant citizens on the streets. But I am recalling the words of Winston Churchill (1874-1965) who said to the effect that, were a totalitarian or police state to replace the German invaders, it would be pointless to punish Hitler and his gang for their crimes. Unfortunately, Churchill's apprehension may have proven valid. Russian President Vladimir Putin has annexed the Crimean Peninsula in violation of international law and continues to invade Ukraine. And yet, the White House is condoning these acts in its 'peace plan.' How can this be? The international community turned a blind eye when the Nazis annexed Austria. The world must have learned a bitter lesson from this history, and I am sure many people were reminded of this by what is going on in our world now. After World War II, Kastner published an illustrated storybook for children titled 'Die Konferenz der Tiere' ('The Animals' Conference'), where an elephant and his wife become deeply frustrated by the inability of humans to stop fighting. The elephants say to the effect, 'It's wars, agony and stupidity everywhere, and all the humans are seeing them.' 'And yet, they don't try to learn anything.' These words sting. —The Asahi Shimbun, May 8 * * * Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
Asahi Shimbun
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Asahi Shimbun
VOX POPULI: Papal politics in high gear as cardinals meet before conclave
The late Pope Francis' funeral is over, and Italy is now said to be buzzing with talk of the upcoming conclave, by which the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church will be elected. Cardinals who are regarded as strong candidates for the papacy are called by the local media as 'papabile,' which means 'eligible to become pope.' Media reports delve not only into their backgrounds and personalities, but also where they stand on the theological spectrum. 'Papabile intel,' as such information may be dubbed, is eagerly sought not only by the Roman Catholic faithful who are naturally curious about what their would-be leader will be like, but also by the cardinals themselves who will be electing the new pontiff. I know from my past reporting experiences that, surprisingly, many cardinals are virtual strangers to one another because their posts are scattered around the world. At the time of the last conclave 12 years ago, a German charlatan posing as a cardinal went undetected for some time and caused quite a stir. Now that the conclave participants from around the world are descending upon Rome, there must be interminable gatherings and dinner meetings going on there to compare notes and exchange opinions. And they are probably being held in groups made up of members of the same nationality, language or religious order. I learned from the 2021 book 'The Election of Pope Francis' by Gerard O'Connell, a Vatican correspondent of an American magazine, that a pre-conclave session played a vital role in determining the outcome of the 2013 papal election. On the eve of the first day of the conclave, 15 cardinals, abhorring the possibility of a conservative candidate becoming pope, resolved to create a pro-reform momentum from the very first ballot. O'Connell's depiction of the scene is filled with tension. What will the outcome be of the upcoming conclave, scheduled to start on May 7? Of the 135 cardinals who are under the age of 80 and eligible to vote, about 80 percent are Francis appointees. Since the last conclave, the number of countries from which they hail has increased dramatically from 48 to 71. Given the greater diversification and the presence of more new faces, it may have become more difficult to gather papabile intel. Deals are already being made, well before the secret balloting begins next week. —The Asahi Shimbun, April 29 * * * Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
Asahi Shimbun
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Asahi Shimbun
VOX POPULI: Can't stop seeing minister's self-abasement at the White House
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, signs a cap for Ryosei Akazawa, the minister of economic revitalization, in a meeting at the White House on April 16. (Provided by the White House) Ever since I saw a particular photo released by the White House, I have been unable to get it out of my mind. It shows Ryosei Akazawa, the minister in charge of economic revitalization, giving two thumbs-up while wearing a red baseball cap emblazoned with U.S. President Donald Trump's MAGA (Make America Great Again) slogan. One of my friends, a diplomat, once told me about diplomacy's 'three objectives,' all of which are of equal importance. One is to protect the economic interests of citizens. This is certainly the focal point of Tokyo's ongoing negotiations with Washington over Trump's tariffs, given their serious impact on many Japanese corporations. Another is to protect the lives and property of citizens, matters of national security. In recent talks, the cost of U.S. troops stationed in Japan has come up as a topic of discussion. In Japan-U.S. relations, a trade issue can sometimes become combined with a defense issue. As for the third objective, my friend said cheerfully, 'It's also important for diplomacy to give people reasons to be truly happy and proud to be citizens of their country.' My friend's point was that even if the nation's immediate interest is sidelined in favor of upholding some lofty principle, such as human rights or peace, such diplomatic decisions can make people proud and ultimately serve the 'national interest' over the long term. These comments are what the MAGA cap picture made me recall. I am fully aware of the danger of mentioning something like 'national interest' carelessly, but I cannot remain silent now. That's because the superficial smile on Akazawa's face beneath the MAGA cap suggested the contrived 'self-humiliation' of a shameless bootlicker. I get that extreme forbearance is sometimes needed during difficult negotiations, and I am in no way criticizing him for not putting on a tougher act. But, still ... all kinds of contradictory conjectures are swirling in my head, and will not leave me. —The Asahi Shimbun, April 22 * * * Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
