小泉、一年間の沈黙の先に: 政界再編のキーマンは9月に動き出すI mean, it is not like they are building Koizumi up into some kind of noble Gary Cooper reluctant humble savior figure or anything.
「小泉さん、もう1回総理やって」
7月21日、名古屋市の県勤労会館で、前首相の小泉純一郎が参院選の応援演説をしている最中のこと。突然、会場に女性の声が響きわたった。
それまでは会場からの声を上手に受け取めながら話を進めていた小泉の演説が、その一言で途切れた。
「私はもう総理やめたから。総理大臣は安倍さん。もう時間？ 次へ行かないといけないし…」
小泉はあわてて話題をイラク派遣から切り替えた。参院選で全国行脚しながら、余裕に満ちた演説を重ねていた小泉が、ひるんだ一瞬だった。「次に行かないと」と言いながらも、それから10分近く演説は続いた。...
For Koizumi, looking ahead after a year of silence: the key person for the rebirth of the administration will move in September
On July 21, at the Nagoya prefectural labor hall, in the middle of former Prime Minister Koizumi's stump speech of support for the House of Councillors election. Across the hall, suddenly, a woman's voice rings out:
"Koizumi-san! Please be prime minister one more time!"
Koizumi, who had until then masterfully handled shouted interruptions from floor, with this one utterance falls silent.
"I resigned as prime minister, don't you see? Abe is the prime minister now. Whoa, is that the time? I have be moving right along."
Flustered, Koizumi switched out of talking about the Iraq dispatch. On tour because of the House of Councillors election, it was for Koizumi, who had been delivering speech after speech with gusto, a momentary flinch. Even as he said, "I have be moving right along," his speech went on for another 10 minutes...
I am not sure what to make of the assertion the article makes as regards former Prime Koizumi's conjuring skills over the electorate. Is it really significant that of the 12 LDP district candidates for whom he campaigned, 7 won seats? To be sure, the Friends of Jun-chan can claim of a heck of a lot better rate of success (58%) than the LDP as a whole. Did Koizumi affect the outcome or did he just campaign for the right candidates?
Ahhh, a chicken and egg story.
The assertion further down in the article -- that Koizumi will be one to watch come September -- has the ring of truth. Prime Minister Abe Shinzō, if he were to awaken to the fact he is a politician, not a priest, would jolt the fall plenary session of the Diet with a revival of the Koizumi program. Nothing would upset Ozawa & Company's planning more--because, if you remember, the Koizumi program was stolen from the DPJ (Oh, how the DPJ howled at Koizumi's larceny!).
When Amaterasu wants to punish you, she answers your prayers.
Then again, how likely is it that Prime Minister Abe will understand the message of July 29?
Damned unlikely, if this Jiji Press report is any indication:
支持率低下に反省＝安倍首相Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrgggggghhhhhh!
安倍晋三首相は６日夜、参院選後の報道各社の世論調査で内閣支持率の低下が続いていることについて、「１つ１つ実績を積み上げていくことで、信頼を回復していかなければならないと決意している。選挙の結果もそうだが、わたしも反省すべき点は反省しなければならない」と語った。首相官邸で記者団の質問に答えた。
Prime Minister Abe: I have reflected upon the fall in my approval ratings
In response to press questions asked at the Prime Minister's Residence on August 6 about the continuing fall of the Cabinet's approval ratings in all the polls following the House of Councillors election, Prime Minister Abe stated, "I have determined that I must revive public trust by piling up achievements one by one. I must reflect upon the outcome of the election but I must reflect on the matters I must reflect upon as well."
Abe-san, please consider: "Piling up achievements one by one" was your strategy to win the public's trust before the election. That, if you may remember the events of a week ago, did not work. Why do you think it is going to work now?
Honestly, where did Abe pick up this MBA-think that "execution is everything"?
Hmmmm, perhaps I had best not go there.
Later - Assiduous reader L.H. pointed out a significant translation error in the original version of this post. The error has since been corrected.
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