Slip Of The Tongue Dept: Japan's Gaffe-Prone Politicians ("And YOU Thought George Bush Was 'Bad'!")

BBC News ^ | July 11, 2003 | BBC News

[AmericanInTokyo]

Japan's Gaffe-Prone Politicians

Former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori (LDP) frequently had his foot in his mouth A Japanese minister has sparked controversy by saying the parents of a boy suspected of killing a small child should be beheaded. Yoshitada Konoike, state minister in charge of deregulation zones and disaster management, said that this would serve as a warning to parents who do not control their children effectively.

"The parents (of the 12-year-old boy) should be pulled through the streets and their heads should be chopped off," Mr Konoike (LDP) told a news conference on Friday.

"Gang rape shows the people who do it are still vigorous, and that is OK" -- Seichi Ota (LDP)

Japanese politicians frequently come under fire for their apparently insensitive comments.

In the last two weeks alone, two politicians have sparked fury among female legislators by appearing to condone rape. Seiichi Ota, a lawmaker with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), said at a debate on Japan's declining birth rate that at least gang rapists had a healthy appetite for sex.

Then Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda (LDP), commenting on Mr Ota's remarks, suggested women who are raped are "asking for it" by the way they dress. Possibly the most gaffe-prone of all Japan's politicians, former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, also drew fire last week for suggesting childless women should be denied welfare payments in old age. "They say 40% of the voters are still undecided. Those people who aren't interested should just stay in bed."--Yoshiro Mori (LDP)

Mr Mori was infamous for such impolitic remarks during his 2000-2001 leadership. When news broke that a ship carrying high school students had sunk after colliding with a US submarine in February 2001, Mr Mori continued with his game of golf. He became his own worst enemy, urging voters wavering before the 2000 election, to stay in bed. His Liberal Democratic Party went on to lose its simple majority in the lower house.

Before he even became prime minister, he managed to insult Aids sufferers, Americans, and residents of the western port city of Osaka, which he described as "a spittoon".

"When there was a Y2K problem, the Japanese bought water and noodles. Americans bought pistols and guns" --Yoshiro Mori (LDP)

Mr Mori's loose tongue led to pressure on him to resign, which he eventually did in April 2001. Many of the slips made by Japan's politicians have centred on the country's conduct during World War II. One of Mr Mori's most damaging comments, made within weeks of him taking office, was his description of Japan as a "divine country" centred on the emperor.

For a nation keen to shake off the militaristic image of its past, the remark was especially insensitive.

"Many of [the comfort women] went for the money" --Kajiyama Seiroku (LDP)

Hosei Norota (LDP), senior lawmaker and former Defence Minister, sparked controversy in 2001, when he said (Japan) was not to blame for its entry into the war, and had been forced into action by the US. "Faced with oil and other embargoes from other countries, Japan had no choice but to venture out southward to secure natural resources. In other words, Japan had fallen prey to a scheme of the US," Mr Norota said.

In the same year, then Chief Cabinet Secretary Kajiyama Seiroku (LDP) said Korean women forced into sexual servitude by Japan during World War II were no different from Japanese prostitutes who worked in government brothels for pay.

"Many of [the comfort women] went for the money," Mr Seiroku said during a Japan-Korea summit meeting.

[AmericanInTokyo]

The latest, just this morning, from Congressman Eto (LDP), that the "Rape of Nanking" was one big lie and fabrication.

And to think these idiots keep getting elected. Must say something for large portions of the Japanese electorate, particularly in the rural areas.

LDP= "Liberal Democratic Party" (the conservative ruling party)

I'm all for crushing the dictatorial regime of Kim Jong-il in Northeast Asia through an alliance of countries, but just a word here not to cheer too much for Japan's military re-armament. Nukes could well be in the hands of men with little minds who think like this.

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[smith288]

"When there was a Y2K problem, the Japanese bought water and noodles. Americans bought pistols and guns" --Yoshiro Mori (LDP)

Thats an insult? I dont think noodle and water can protect you from thieves had Y2K been a real disaster.

[AmericanInTokyo]

It is the general concept that just under the surface (and often exploding outside the surface like pus), many of these men of little minds of this age in the national Diet are still quite anti-American and they are very uncomfortable with non-Japanese.

[Tribune7]

ping

[GraniteStateConservative]

But everyone seems so nice on Iron Chef.

[AmericanInTokyo]

When you overhear Japan Airlines stewardesses (ahem, excuse me, "flight attendents") in hushed voices in Japanese asking Japanese passengers boarding if they don't mind sitting next to the foreigner during the flight ("gaijin no tonori ni suwaseru no wa yoroshii deshouka?"), you'll get my drift.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

"...his description of Japan as a "divine country" centred on the emperor..."

Sorry to say, this is a central tenet of the national religion. The japanese race is regarded as the truly human race; others are various shades of monkey, and I'm not making this up. For example, there was a huge hullaballoo a few years ago when genetic testing indicated that the royal family shared genetics with inhabitants of a lower-caste island. And you don't want to know how Koreans are regarded. Hint: "Monkey" for both, I kid you not.

[smith288]

Can you speak Japanese? Are you of Japenese decent or anything?

[AmericanInTokyo]

There is a dichotomy that often throws the system off, though. That is, often on th 'cultural totem pole' (very verticle system here), "White" (especially blond hair, blue eye) people are looked as being above Japanese, and in other instances, being inferior. Many people seem to shift back and forth between inferiority and superiority toward Caucasian. This is certainly NOT the case toward: other Asians especially Koreans, blacks, hispanics, arab, southpacific islanders).

The condescending anti-Korean thing has generally speaking, abated quite a bit with the younger generation though. Not with many of their parents. though.

[AmericanInTokyo]

yes, I'm fluent in several languages, one of them being Japanese

[Lorenb420]

When you overhear Japan Airlines stewardesses (ahem, excuse me, "flight attendents") in hushed voices in Japanese asking Japanese passengers boarding if they don't mind sitting next to the foreigner during the flight ("gaijin no tonori ni suwaseru no wa yoroshii deshouka?"), you'll get my drift.

My business partner went to Japan last year and he got called 'gaijin gilow (sp?)' (or something like that) by a few older guys. It meant 'foreign devil' he said.

The younger guys he said just wanted to talk to him to practice English and/or check out his blonde wife.

[A_perfect_lady]

The japanese race is regarded as the truly human race; others are various shades of monkey, and I'm not making this up...

I believe you, because it's quite common. All tribes have historically considered themselves "The Real People" and all others to be false people, or mud people, or lesser people, animals, beasts... there's a Mayan tribe in the Yucatan called the Lakandon, and their word for themselves is "Hach Winik," which means The Real People. And from what I've heard, the Koreans look at the Chinese the same way the Japanese look at the Koreans.

[smith288]

Props to you! That cant be an easy task.

[proxy_user]

Like voters everywhere, the Japanese in rural areas don't care what politicians say, just as long as the subsidies and payouts continue.

[Farnham]

That backs up what my son told me. He was stationed in Yokoska (sp?) and when we would call, his mother would always ask about his social life.

"Are you dating any?"

"Sure, with light hair and blue eyes, you can get all the dates you want."

"Anyone seriously?"

"Nope. As far as I can tell, there hasn't been a Japanese with an original thought in over 200 years. I'll wait til I get back."

[ClearCase_guy]

I dont think noodle and water can protect you from thieves had Y2K been a real disaster.

It's true. Imagine this exchange:

"Hand over the gun! Careful, I've got noodles!" -- Chances are you'd lose the noodles.
Or
"Hand over the noodles! Careful, I've got a gun!" -- Now you have both.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Yokosuka. yes.

[AmericanInTokyo]

sounds like Chinese is being mixed with Japanese language here. at any rate, 'gaijin' does not mean or contain necessarily the sentiment of 'foreign devil', although it does mean 'outlander' (literally, "outside (gai) + "person" (jin).