Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Details, details

Yesterday, in the mailbox...

Japan's Comic Relief
Time
Thursday, Jan. 25, 2007 By Bryan Walsh

(...)

But Higashikokubaru's win may have less to do with entertainment than with public dissatisfaction over Japanese politics, increasingly seen as corrupt and ineffective. His predecessor, also an independent, resigned amid corruption allegations, and scandals have forced two of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's top ministers to resign.

Yesterday, on the web...

Support ratings for Abe's Cabinet fall over scandals: Polls
AP

Tokyo, Jan. 29 : Support for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Government has fallen, hit by political funds scandals and concerns about his leadership ability, according to the results of two newspaper polls published on Monday.

The Mainichi, a nationwide newspaper, said 40 percent of the 1,044 respondents to its Jan. 27-28 poll supported the Cabinet, down 6 percentage point the previous poll in December. Those who disapproved rose to 36 percent from 30 percent.

The newspaper attributed the drop to the resignation of Cabinet ministers and their murky use of political funds.

Tomorrow, in the International Herald Tribune, Tokyo edition...

Why Abe Won't Be Japan's Answer to Ronald Reagan: William Pesek
Bloomberg

(...)

Abe can only do as much as his party allows him, and his support is sliding. A Sankei newspaper survey this week showed Abe's approval rating (39.1 percent) fell below his disapproval rating (40.9 percent). Two members of his Cabinet have already resigned in separate scandals. Another, Health Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa, has come under criticism for calling women ``baby- making machines'' in a Jan. 27 speech...

Uh, no.

Unless I am mistaken (And you frequently are - Ed.) the score is one cabinet minister, one head of the Tax Commission.

I must admit...when you see the same error three times in quick succession in media outlets of record...you start to doubt yourself.

1 comment:

Jun Okumura said...

In the name of the Empire of the Rising Sun, I hereby annoint thee: Gotchaman.