A Triple Disaster and Post-War Regime

Mr. Kazuo Ijiri, a columnist focuses on the following three aspects observed in the last one month after occurrence of a triple disaster under the title of "A Triple Disaster and Post-War Regime".

1. Speechless Democratic Party of Japan
2. Japan now in a major transition
3. End of post war regime


Since March 11 when a triple disaster hit Japan, I have paid my full attention to every statement made by Prime Minister Kan and his cabinet members in newspapers, on TV, etc. , trying to identify and specify messages and visions they were conveying to the Japanese nationals.


However, I would have to regretfully say that none of them have ever expressed any words which I think would have encouraged the Japanese nationals to deal with the national crisis. This simply means that Democratic Party of Japan has been suffering "aphasia". In other words, the Japanese nationals have not heard any political language they all desire to hear from the current cabinet.


To be more specific, I should say that a process we are going through now is a major transition into new regime as the post-war regime that has lasted more than 64 years is collapsing or ending at this moment. Then, one would wonder what has been characterized as "Post-War Regime" in Japan. It woudl be defined as post-war individualism, demands to and protests against the Government as seen in the civil activities within various frameworks such as Japan-U.S. Security Pact, Cold War, etc. in which a majority of the Japanese nationals have in a sense enjoyed so-called democracy after the Pacific War. This political orientation peculiar to those more or less inclining toward what Democratic Party of Japan represents has lost its luster and attractiveness, thereby having the members of the Ruling Party "Democratic Party of Japan" become speechless when faced with the unprecedented disaster.


Carefully reading facial expressions and speeches of PM Kan and his cabinet members, I really believe that Japan's post-war regime has been collapsing, sounding like a loud explosion. However, we have not yet seen any sense of  a new 國體Kokutai, literally national body/structure or national polity or a new regime that defines the character of Japan. We are now in transition to discover a new political language but somehow stranded on the way to its discovery.


It is a time for us to review 64 years long post-war regime and to define 國體Kokutai that should serve as a basis for building a new nation, out of which a new political language will be born. From this perspective, I am now deepening my thoughts of politicians and their languages, and of politicians and their visions.