In from the dark places it crept, cursing the light

I know that listing the number of times Heizo Takenaka has met with U.S. officials and drawing parallels between USTR demands and GOJ regulations is a staple of Japan Communist Party Diet interpellations. I also know that under the mantle of the LDP have long lurked australopithecine xenophobes like Kobayashi Koki.

I was nevertheless struck dumb this Sunday when the leaders of the other non-DPJ opposition parties began humming the "It's all an American plot" tune on the morning talks shows. My fairly ambivalent opinion of Tanaka Yasuo sank about 60 centimeters south-southwest as he mumbled dark semi-hints about the LDP's betrayal of the populace.

I had to guffaw, though, when Fukushima Mizuho explained that her party rejected the postal reform bill partly out of a love of country. A Democratic Socialist Party appeal to patriotism...somebody please get me a glass of water!

Aya! The spots, they are back...millions of them!

It is horribly catty of me, but did you see the transformation of Fukushima's appearance in between 8:30 on Fuji Television and 9:00 on NHK? Somebody watching the earlier program must have called in to party central with a mayday.

Is this Studio 14 B?

Whether it was an expression of extreme confidence on the part of the LDP-Komeito alliance, extreme nervousness on the part of the opposition or just bad communication on everyone's part--it was weird to see Takebe Tsutomu and Fuyushiba Tetsuzo debating the leaders of the opposition parties on the Sunday talk shows. During the NHK broadcast, when a technical point came up, Takebe muttered, "Why am I discussing these things with the opposition's party leaders? This is a matter for kanjicho to discuss amongst themselves."

Then again, given Yosano Kaoru's on air seduction of Abe Tomoko last week, the opposition parties probably thought it wisest to send their top guns into the fray this week.

and the meek shall inherit the earth

I would be interested to hear explanations of why the accusation of supporting a "jaku niku kyo shoku" policy can so effectively disarm a political opponent. Several times during the Sunday broadcasts, Fukushima, Shii or Watanuki would toss out the phrase and Takebe and Fuyushiba would just clam up. Should not the LDP-Komeito alliance have an honest answer ready, that if the state continues to reward failure, failure will eat up the wealth and talent of the state?

Komazawa, a greater den of sin and vilainy you shall not find

Finally, while this has nothing to do with politics, I have a distinct recollection of telling all and sundry some time ago that Komazawa High School reeked with the stench of evil. I stand (well, sit) vindicated in my prejudices!