Current location:World Window news portal > business
VOX POPULI: Our anger must never cool over ‘vital’ political fund
World Window news portal2024-04-30 13:22:16【business】8People have gathered around
IntroductionWhat aspects of everyday life are deemed to be essential in Japan? And, what, exactly, are “fuyo-fuk
What aspects of everyday life are deemed to be essential in Japan? And, what, exactly, are “fuyo-fukyu” (nonessential or non-urgent)?
We were supposed to have learned the difference during the COVID-19 pandemic.
But have we forgotten already?
“Perhaps that is how I can best summarize it,” columnist Takashi Odajima (1956-2022) wrote in his book “Saikan no Uta,” in which he goes through social media posts to glean the zeitgeist of the decade from 2011, the year of the Great East Japan Earthquake, to 2020, the year the pandemic began.
As some examples considered to be fuyo-fukyu, Odajima cites the emperor’s birthday celebrations, events such as concerts and plays, and professional sports competitions.
Businesses complied with stay-at-home requests by encouraging their full-time employees to work from home, and schools canceled classes and switched to remote learning.
As for what was judged to be essential and indispensable to everyday life, Odajima observed with mordant irony: “Overcrowded trains, menial jobs for non-regular company workers, politicians’ fund-raising parties, the prime minister’s dinner meetings with supporters, Olympic-related competitive sports events.”
Going through a list of Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers involved in the slush fund scandal, I start seething with anger again.
While all of us ordinary citizens were gritting our teeth and giving up what we wanted to do, politicians were holding fund-raisers as usual and secretly amassing a slush fund, their excuse being that free political activity must never be interrupted at any time.
What an act of betrayal. How despicable.
The LDP’s negative attitude regarding the planned Diet's Deliberative Council on Political Ethics has left me speechless.
Still, I must firmly remind the party that the council is not a place for ceremonial “misogi” (purification).
In fact, all the council will do is to provide an opportunity for LDP legislators who have benefited from the slush fund to tell their side of the story.
In any case, the pursuit of truth and their responsibility must continue.
And frustrated and disgusted as I am, I still intend to keep my anger boiling.
Odajima once wrote, “Cherry blossoms die after one week because we Japanese get easily bored.”
--The Asahi Shimbun, Feb. 28
* *
*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.
Address of this article:http://www.samacharpostdainik.com/content-08e099983.html
Very good!(421)
Related articles
- Market for African Performing Arts of Abidjan held in Cote d'Ivoire
- Xi's Commitment to Openness
- (CPC Congress) New CPC Leadership to Meet Press on Sunday
- Xi Meets French President Macron
- Bare mountains turn green again through ecological restoration in SW China's Sichuan
- China Issues White Paper on Community with Shared Future in Cyberspace
- China Focus: China Releases Measures to Optimize COVID
- Highlights of Xi
- China's space station lab module Mengtian ready for launch
- Xi Urges Efforts to Carry Forward Great Founding Spirit of CPC and Yan'an Spirit
Popular articles
Recommended
Xi extends condolences over death of Namibia's Geingob
Xi Arrives in Indonesia's Bali for G20 Summit
Hayao Miyazaki's animated fantasy leads Chinese box office
Xi Congratulates Russia
China's Top Political Advisory Body Holds Press Conference Ahead of Annual Session
Federation Cultivates 'Legal Docents' to Help Protect Women's Rights
Xi Meets Dutch PM Rutte
Federation Cultivates 'Legal Docents' to Help Protect Women's Rights
Links
- World Insights: Xi's Trip to Middle East Significant to Promoting Peace, Cooperation
- Xi Signs Order to Promulgate Regulations on Honors for Servicemen
- Xi Focus: Xi Stresses Building up China's Strength in Agriculture at Key Rural Work Conference
- Book on Xi's Visits to People's Homes Published
- 3 dead, 10 injured in fire at south China nursing home
- Xi Signs Order to Promulgate Regulations on Honors for Servicemen
- China, Saudi Arabia to Jointly Strive for Greater Progress in Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
- Chinese Vice Premier Urges Efforts to Ensure Sound Start to New School Term
- Xi Calls on Economic Daily to Better Tell China's Economic Development Stories
- Xi Focus: Xi Stresses Efforts to Modernize Judicial, Procuratorial, Public Security Work