See you again, A Blushing English Rose!

Today, I went to Narita Airport to send off one of my best friends. She was my private English teacher, and because we shared the same passion for great novelists, such as John Irving and Murakami Haruki, we talked lots about what we read at that moment. Oe Kenzaburo, Mishima Yukio, Endo Shusaku, Paul Auster, Noam Chomsky, etc, etc, etc... Actually, all the books I posted on this blog were the books she recommended to me. I have never met someone who has read as many books as her. To use Japanese expression, she is a worm of books. During our conversation, I was always impressed with her insatiable curiosity, which ranges from documentary on warfare and African countries history to surrealistic Japanese novels and New York Times best-sellers. I grew fond of hearing what she was reading or what she made of. She always asked me, "Why do you think so?" or "What do you make of it?", when we were talking about books. Because I am a feeler, rather than a thinker, I always had difficulty in answering to those questions, to be honest. More often than not, I got stuck in the middle of sentences in front of her, realizing that I hadn't thought about the subject deeply enough. I am pretty sure that she was sometimes frustrated with my simple answers or sitting-on-the-fence attitude, but she rarely showed her tedium, rather successfully making me feel as if I am the funniest person on the surface on this planet. To put it simply, she can listen to others carefully and patiently.

Now, she and her boyfriend are going to go to Ghana for volunteer work. They are going to teach English to local people. It would be hard and touch, but I am certain that their experience in Africa would be valuable for their future. And also, I am definitely sure that they would make a difference to people there, as she did it to me in Japan.

When I sent them off at Narita Airport, I cried(a bit), and I was so confused that I couldn't say "Take care!" nor "Thank you". But, Helen. I am really grateful to you for everything you have done for me! The time I spent with you was one of the most meaningful events of my life. I have learned so many things through your patience, honesty and kindness. I wish I could give something back to you!

When I have a time to part with somebody who is very important to me, I always recall lines from "David Copperfield" by Charles Dickens.

I have stood aside to see the phantoms of those days go by me. They are gone, and I resume the journey of my story.

Hey, Helen and Kentaro! I wish from the bottom of my heart the prosperous journey of your life!!!
I am looking forward to seeing you again soon. But now,
Take care and Good Luck!!!

Who is the one irresponsible?

I guess Prime Minister Mr. Abe is now wondering in his bed where he got it wrong. As a promising politician coming from a patrician family, he had been lionized as a desiable figure during Koizumi premiership; a young, determined, and hawkish statesman who can appeal to a wide range of voters. His popularity culminated in abduction issues. As a secretary-general of Koizumi government, he has been said to have taken a strong leadership to deal with North Korea. His tough stances and harsh remarks toward North Korea, combined with his nationalistic romanticism toward Japanese uniqueness, were highly applauded not only by conservative newspapers and patriotic students, but also by tired salary-men whose only subscribing magazines are comic-books and innocent house-wives in voice room. So, when Mr. Koizumi resigned, he was widely welcomed as his successor, with an approving rate over 70%.

After less than one year in power, he suddenly threw up all his responsibilities and called it a day. To be sure, his premiership has been tainted with lots of disgraces. Four or five cabinet ministers were forced to resign due to political funds scandals. However, his party’s colossal defeat at Upper House election this summer resulted largely from economic policies of Koizumi reforms, such as taxation reforms, which now have directly hit elderly people or pensioners. A fiasco surrounding pension system, where as many as 50 millions payments records have been somehow erased or lost and allegedly there are countless people who got paid or would get paid their pension less than they are entitled to, is not a problem which has begun just recently. There has been a wide range gap between the have and the have-not for over the past ten years, which again has aggravated by Koizumi-reform under the banner of “Short-time pain for long-time gain”. His stance toward North Korea has been always hawkish and unyielding. He has been always pompous and nationalistic both before and after he became prime minister. He has been as drab and as dour as he used to be when he delivers his speeches. So, what is the cause of his sudden downfall?

After all, I think that he was just used as one of leading characters in our political theatre on mass media. When abduction issues arose five years ago, he was presented before us as a strong-willed politician who can stand up to “rogue country”. No date passed when news media didn't report his sustained efforts to get abducted Japanese back. When we were in clutch, we needed someone strong. Now that negotiation with North Korea has been in deadlock, and now that focal point in Diet has shifted from Abduction issue to more domestic one such as pension or salary gap between the have and the have-not, Mr. Abe is no longer newsworthy unless he can offer another charm.

What was that zeal which people showed when Abe came in town a year ago? Where are those words such as “Prince” or “Young thoroughbred” which we threw at him? Now if you read any newspaper or magazine, you would see any kind of virulent smear, such as “Coward”, “Chicken”, “Spoiled child”, “Irresponsible nincompoop”, “Arsehole”, “Guy who is incredibly overestimated and has no magnanimity for Prime Minister from the beginning”, virtually as imaginable vindictive as possible, you name it. True, he is to blame for his failure to keep his health, which is the first priority and responsibility not only as Prime Minister, but also as a member of any kind of organization. But bashing Abe with such vicious words is absolutely hypocritical given their past unlimited treatment to him. Those same media or critics who used to acclaim or even adulate is shamelessly attacking with malicious comments. Such a hypocrisy!

As some of you guys know it, I couldn't disagree more with almost all Abe’s policies. However, Japanese media’s overnight turnaround against Abe is totally going too far. Unless there would be no serious reviews for the past reportage regarding the former Prime Minister, we would be unwittingly made believe another “Prince” or another “Messiah” by these irresponsible mass media. That phenomenon is what I dread most.

Who is our next Prime Minister?

Now that Abe-chan has gone, everybody is talking about who's the next. I don't know much about politics, and I am not interested in politics so much, so I don't have any concrete idea regarding our next top politician. But I think it's wonderful thing if we had Prime Minister whose name sounds quite similar to often-used swear word.

I don't think that Mr. Asou is arsehole, but unfortunately I imagine that everyone assumes he is arsehole. If he was chosen as our Prime Minister, he would go to the general assembly of United Nations or G-8 summit or APEC or whichever. He would meet President Bush or Putin or other heads of states. And in that situation, he must be introduced to lots of bigwigs and audience from all over the world, "Here is Japanese Prime Minister, Mr. Asou!!!". And then, people would question to themselves whether what they heard now is arsehole or not, or they would assume if Mr. Asou is actually arsehole or not, even though they are sure that Mr. Asou is not arsehole, because they know that arseholes can't be elected as Prime Minister usually. Or, maybe that announcer is not sure how to pronounce Japanese name so he or she would say, "Mr. Arsehole", and then, Mr.Asou would approach over him or her and correct their mistake, saying "I am not an arsehole!", then people at present would realize that he is not an arsehole because he is Mr. Asou. And, Who want to attack a country whose head of state is called Arsehole? Even some countries hostile to Japan would find it funny and comfortable, forgetting their hatred toward Japan and throwing away their AK-47 because they are busy with imagining if they had top leader named Arsehole in their totalitarian regime.

Prime Minister hopeful Mr. ASOU

Typhoon No.9

The other day, typhoon No.9 directly hit Tokyo(We numbered each typhoon in sequence, rather than naming like U.S. So, this typhoon was actually the ninth which was born in East Asia). As civil servants, when flood or other kinds of disaster would be expected to happen, we stay at our office overnight on vigil to make sure that we could react as soon as possible in case of emergency.

I was picked as a member of night vigil this time, so I was dispatched to one of local community centre, which could become local evacuation centre if people in neighbourhood were forced to flee in case of flood. During terrible storm and occasional strong rain, I patrolled around close area with flash light and map, checking whether fallen trees clog traffic on the streets or there is power-line that is cut off.

Fortunately, typhoon No.9 didn't cause any flood nor accident at all in Nakano-ku. After night vigil was over and we were dismissed, I got lipton tea in the morning, which was the best tea I have drunken for ages. And, unbelievably, we changed clothes and went back to each section, and started working normally as if nothing had happened at all. They didn't give us swapping day-off and expected us to work usually. The principle being, Get day-off if you are tired. It sucks!!!! So, I took half-day off, and went to Voice room...

the funniest man I have ever seen

Here is the funniest man on the surfice of this planet!
so, my japanese friends, have a gander!