Is the Prime Minister a Leader or a Reader?

Close up Japan |総理大臣はLeader? それともReader?

Is the Prime Minister a Leader or a Reader?

It has been one year since SUGA Yoshihide became the 99th Prime Minister of Japan. When he first took office, he was touted as “a man who started from scratch,” “a man who has seen the world,” and “a folksy” person, and some people said that he had excellent negotiation skills with other politicians and bureaucrats. Some people even said that he was like TANAKA Kakuei, the prime minister who won the hearts of the people with his speeches. However, Prime Minister Suga’s speeches involve nothing more than standing up and reading a script in a monotonous manner without gestures. When a reporter pointed this out, he responded by saying that it was important to disseminate accurate information. At the Memorial Ceremony for the Atomic Bomb Victims and Peace Memorial Ceremony at Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima City, held every year on August 6, he made the mistake of skipping over part of the manuscript. Today’s politicians seem to be convinced that politics is about bargaining and collusion behind closed doors, rather than making efforts to “face the people head-on, make their policies appealing, and gain consent.” Since TANAKA Kakuei, who excelled in public speaking, had a strong influence until his later years, and it could be said that he made it customary for politicians to hold secret talks. As we welcome the 100th Prime Minister of Japan, we need to think seriously about what kind of person is best suited to lead Japan, now that we are struggling to deal with Covid-19. At least as it stands now, AI characters with text to speech systems can be ridiculed as being “better leaders” (readers).

すが義偉よしひで
suga yoshihide ga
Suga Yoshihide
だい99代きゅうじゅうきゅうだい
dai kyuujuu kyuu dai
ninty-nineth
内閣ないかく総理そうり大臣だいじん
naikaku’souri’daijinn ni
the Prime Minister of Japan
就任しゅうにんし、
shuuninn shi,
since became
一年いちねん
ichi nenn ni
one year
なります。
nari masu.
it has been
就任しゅうにん当初とうしょは、
shuuninn tousho ha,
when he first took office
たたげ」
“tatakiage”
a man who started from scratch
苦労人くろうにん
“kurou’ninn”
a man who has seen the world (and)
庶民派しょみんは」の
“shominn’ha” no
a folksy
人物じんぶつ
jinnbutsu
person
として
to shite
as
アピールあぴーるされ、
api-ru sare,
he was touted and
ほか
“hoka no
other
政治家せいじか
seiji’ka
politicians
ya
and
官僚かんりょう
kannryou
bureaucrats
わたい、
to watariai,
with
折衝力せっしょうりょくたか
sesshou’ryoku ga takai”
he had excellent negotiation skills
to
that
評価ひょうかするこえかれました。
hyouka suru koe mo kikare mashita.
some people said
なかには、
naka niha,
some
スピーチすぴーち
supi-chi
his speeches
de
with
国民こくみん
kokuminn
the people
no
of
こころ
kokoro wo
the hearts
つかんだ
tsukannda
who won
総理そうり大臣だいじんといわれる
souri’daijinn to iwareru
the prime minister
田中たなか角栄かくえい
tanaka kakuei
Tanaka Kakuei
にも通じるつう
nimo tsuujiru
he was like
という
to iu
that
こえさえありました。
koe sae ari mashita.
people even said
しかし、
shikashi,
however
すが総理そうり
suga souri no
Prime Minister Suga’s
スピーチすぴーち
supi-chi ha
speeches
原稿げんこう
gennkou wo
a script
棒立ぼうだち」
“bou’dachi”
involve nothing more than standing up
de
and
棒読ぼうよ」みするだけのもので、
“bou’yomi” suru dake no mono de,
reading in a monotonous manner without gestures
それを
sore wo
this
記者きしゃから
kisha kara
a reporter
指摘してきされる
shiteki sareru
pointed out
と、
to,
when
正確せいかく
“seikaku na
accurate
情報じょうほう発信はっしん
jouhou’hasshinn ga
to disseminate information
重要じゅうよう
juuyou”
it was important
to
that
反論はんろんしました。
hannronn shi mashita.
he responded by saying
毎年まいとし
maitoshi
every year
8月はちがつ
hachi gatsu
August
6日むいか
mui ka
six
ni
on
開催かいさいされる
kaisai sareru
held
広島市ひろしまし
hiroshima shi
Hiroshima City
no
in
平和へいわ記念きねん公園こうえん
heiwa kinenn kouenn
Peace Memorial Park
での
deno
at
原爆げんばく死没者しぼつしゃ慰霊いれいしき
“gennbaku shibotsu’sha irei’shiki
the MemorialCeremony for the Atomic Bomb Victims
ならびに
narabi ni
and
平和へいわ記念式きねんしき
heiwa’kinenn’shiki”
Peace Memorial Ceremony
では、
deha,
at
原稿げんこう
gennkou
the manuscript
no
of
一部いちぶ
ichibu wo
part
ばす
yomi tobasu
skipping over
という
to iu
of
失態しったい
shittai wo
the mistake
おかしてしまいました。
okashite shimai mashita.
he made
いま
ima no
today’s
政治家せいじか
seiji’ka ha
politicians
国民こくみん
“kokuminn to
the people
真正面ましょうめんから
ma’shoumenn kara
head-on
い、
muki ai,
to face
政策せいさく
seisaku wo
their policies
うったえ、
uttae,
make appealing and
理解りかい
rikai wo
consent
る」
eru”
gain
努力どりょく
doryoku
making efforts
よりも、
yori mo,
rather than
密室みっしつ
misshitsu
closed doors
での
deno
behind
kakehiki
bargaining
ya
and
談合だんごうこそが
danngou koso ga
collusion
政治せいじ
seiji
politics
である
de aru
is about
to
that
おもんでいる
omoi konnde iru
be convinced
ようにもえます。
you ni mo mie masu.
seem to
パブリックスピーキングぱぶりっくすぴーきんぐ
paburikku supi-kinngu
public speaking
ni
in
けていた
takete ita
who excelled
田中たなか角栄かくえいは、
tanaka kakuei ha,
Tanaka Kakuei
晩年ばんねん
bannnenn
his later years
まで
made
until
つよ
tsuyoi
strong
影響力えいきょうりょく
eikyou’ryoku wo
an influence on politics
もっていた
motte ita
had
がゆえに、
ga yue ni,
since
政治家せいじか
seiji’ka
politicians
no
for
密談みつだん
mitsudann wo
to hold secret talks
慣例化かんれいかさせた
kannrei’ka saseta
he made it customary
to
that
える
ieru
be said
かもしれません。
kamo shire masenn.
it could
だい100代ひゃくだい
dai hyaku dai
hundred
内閣ないかく総理そうり大臣だいじん
naikaku’souri’daijinn wo
the Prime Minister of Japan
むかえる
mukaeru
we welcome
にあたり、
ni atari,
as
どのような
dono you na
what kind of
人物じんぶつ
jinnbutsu ga
person
リーダーりーだー
ri-da- ni
to lead Japan
ふさわしいのか、
fusawashii no ka,
is best suited
コロナころな対策たいさく
korona’taisaku ni
to deal with Covid-nineteen
くるしむ
kurushimu
that we are struggling
いまこそ
ima koso
now
真剣しんけん
shinnkenn ni
seriously
かんがえるときだとえます。
kanngaeru toki da to ie masu.
we need to think about
すくなくとも
sukunaku tomo
at least
いまのままでは、
ima no mama deha,
as it stands now
音声おんせい合成ごうせいシステムしすてむ
onnsei’gousei’shisutemu
text-to-speech systems
による
ni yoru
with
AIキャラクターえーあいきゃらくたーほう
AI kyarakuta- no hou ga
AI characters
“yoki
better
リーダーりーだー
ri-da-
leaders
(Reader)」
(ri-da-)”
readers
である
de aru
being
to
as
揶揄やゆされても仕方しかたがないでしょう。
yayu sarete mo shikata ga nai deshou.
can be ridiculed

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