Latest news with #VoxPopuli
Asahi Shimbun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Asahi Shimbun
VOX POPULI: Giants' legend Nagashima sparkled on the field and in life
As a superstar for the Yomiuri Giants, Shigeo Nagashima captivated fans with his dynamic swing. (Asahi Shimbun file photo) You sometimes hear people say they 'dislike the Giants,' but I've never met anyone who said they 'dislike Nagashima.' A man universally loved—a truly fortunate figure. On the morning of Oct. 14, 1974, when Shigeo Nagashima, the iconic Japanese baseball legend and star of the Yomiuri Giants was set to announce his retirement, The Asahi Shimbun's signature daily column Vox Populi, Vox Dei began with those words, penned with deep respect. Half a century later, that impression remains unchanged. Upon hearing the news of his passing on June 3, I once again feel compelled to echo those words with heartfelt reverence. More than anything, it was his radiance, his irrepressible cheer, which captivated the nation. Surely, this is what we mean when we speak of a true star. The news of Nagashima's passing brings to mind a childhood scene once shared across the nation: a summer evening, watching a baseball broadcast unfold like a ritual. Sitting on the 'engawa' traditional wooden veranda with family and neighbors gathered close, we stared intently at the tiny black-and-white TV screen. 'Batting fourth, third baseman, Nagashima.' The uniquely composed, measured voice of a devoted female announcer for the Giants' home stadium made this call unmistakable. When she intoned Nagashima's name, the air crackled with energy. A ripple of excitement would surge through the room and a collective cry would rise, as if shaken loose by memory or myth. In that moment, we knew: the drama was about to begin. From striking out in all four at-bats in his debut game to a lifetime of larger-than-life episodes, his career was never short on drama. Undaunted by setbacks, he faced every challenge with fearless determination. His final years, marked by illness, were no exception. How many found strength in the sight of 'Mister'—a nickname born from 'Mr. Giants' and 'Mr. Pro Baseball' in testament to his standing as the face of both the team and the sport—pressing on with unwavering spirit? During Japan's period of rapid economic growth in the Showa Era (1926–1989), daily life was far from uniformly bright or joyful. In fact, it may have been precisely the depth of those societal shadows that made Nagashima's light shine all the more brilliantly. He once famously quipped, 'Shippai wa seiko no maza' (failure is the mother of success), humorously substituting the English word 'mother' for the Japanese 'haha.' Another memorable line came on his 60th birthday, a traditional milestone in Japan known as 'kanreki': 'I've reached my first kanreki,' he said with a grin. With these delightfully whimsical turns of a phrase, he had a rare gift for bringing smiles to all who listened. Now, a symbolic figure of an era when many gritted their teeth and clung to hope for tomorrow has set off on a distant journey. —The Asahi Shimbun, June 4 * * * 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
7 days ago
- 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
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Asahi Shimbun
VOX POPULI: A portrait of Palestine's neighborhoods before May 1948
Palestinians gather during a march to commemorate Nakba Day, the "catastrophe" of their mass dispossession in the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation, in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on May 14. REUTERS/Ali Sawafta Once upon a time, it was an established Friday evening custom for young Arabs in the Old City of Jerusalem to visit the homes of their Jewish neighbors and light their lamps for them. That was because during the Sabbath, which starts at sundown on Friday and ends at sundown on Saturday, devout Jews do not kindle or use fire in their dwellings. On feast days, the neighbors gifted one another with sweets and breads. When it was time for a landlord to collect rent, they would be welcomed by their tenant with a convivial chat over a cup of coffee. They practiced different faiths, but that didn't stop them from looking out for one another and just living their daily lives as fellow citizens. And all that is what one gathers from 'O Jerusalem!' co-authored by American writer Larry Collins (1929-2005) and French author Dominique Lapierre (1931-2022). This tour de force chronicles the birth of the state of Israel in 1948 based on testimonies by more than 2,000 people. The authors note that the Arabs and Jews of Palestine were tied loosely to one another by 'poverty, the most natural of bonds.' When did that change? An Arab youth named Nadi grabbed a gun, enraged by the Palestine Partition Plan. When he fired it in the dark of the night, a woman's voice told him to stop. And an elderly resident of the Jewish home he used to visit every Friday shouted, 'Weren't we neighbors?' For Palestinians, May 15 is Nakba Day. It commemorates the Palestinian Catastrophe of some 700,000 people being driven out of their homeland in the First Arab-Israeli War that followed the Israeli Declaration of Independence. Looking back at history, everyone realizes that, in the beginning, there was no hatred. What tore neighbors apart and for what purpose? How long must the people of Gaza continue to suffer? Thinking of them, I bite my lip. —The Asahi Shimbun, May 15 * * * 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
13-05-2025
- General
- Asahi Shimbun
VOX POPULI: Should more schools stop handing out report cards?
A homeroom teacher hands out report cards at the end of the closing ceremony for an elementary school's second term in Osaka's Sumiyoshi Ward in 2022. (Asahi Shimbun file photo) If schools decided to do away with report cards, what would be the reactions of the following manga characters, all of whom are elementary school students? I'm pretty sure Katsuo Isono from "Sazae-san" would be overjoyed. How about Nobita Nobi? He'd probably be indifferent since he's quite easy-going by nature anyway, not to mention that his best pal Doraemon always has his back. In contrast, Chibi Maruko-chan may well receive the news with suspicion and her characteristically cynical frown. The municipal board of education of Mino, Gifu Prefecture, announced on May 2 that there will be no more report cards for first- and second-year students at the city's elementary schools. Reportedly, this decision was made in response to the 'request' from some quarters that younger schoolkids be 'allowed to grow up more freely.' The board also explained that instead of giving out report cards, the schools will hold in-person meetings with the children's parents or guardians to let them know how the youngsters are doing in class. There are pros and cons to this approach, of course. At an elementary school in Kanagawa Prefecture that decided to eliminate report cards five years ago, one concern that was said to have been voiced was, '(Without report cards), we can't tell how our kids are performing.' There is competition everywhere in society. There apparently are parents—and also schoolchildren themselves—who want to know where they rank in their classes, even though they don't necessarily feel the need to be evaluated on an 'absolute scale.' Kazuya Kokubu, who was the principal of the Kanagawa school at the time, explained the reason for doing away with report cards: 'Report cards rank children in order.' He questioned its appropriateness in public education, and thought that eliminating report cards would free up time for teachers, so they could spend more time with their students. The evaluator is human, and so, too, is the evaluated. It's wonderful to be a fast runner, or know more kanji than anyone else or be a good singer. But each such forte is only one aspect of the person who is being evaluated. A society where one is judged by just one yardstick—whether one can or cannot—is hardly a comfortable place to be in. Recalling my own childhood, I know I wasn't like Katsuo, but I have no recollection whatsoever of how I dealt with report cards. In the one scene I remember vividly, I am being taken to task thoroughly by my class master for misbehaving. For some strange reason, this has remained a precious memory, and I still keep it in my 'pocket of memories.' —The Asahi Shimbun, May 13 * * * 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.
