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.