He Ain't Insensitive

He's just regional-dialect-challenged.

After having been slapped around in the media and in political circles for having described Japanese consumers as being yakamashii (in English: nagging, picky, always complaining) -- which he quickly explained meant "acting as free citizens within the full scope of their constitutional rights" -- Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ōta Sei'ichi received an unexpected vote of confidence from Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Asō Tarō.

As General-Secretary Asō explained, "In areas west of the Kansai Region, such an expression is normal (futsū)."

Having lived on the sunset side of 134th East meridian myself, I cannot tell you the number of times I walked through a quiet neighborhood late at night only to hear suddenly shouted from an open window:

"Shut up! (Damare!) You are acting as a free citizen within the full scope of your constitutional rights! (Yakamashii!)"

But this post is not about me and my experiences.

Instead, it is about everyone's favorite Yasukuni-sanpaiing, hubby-dumping inheritor of a political dynasty State Minister Who Has Been Tasked With Showing That The Government Cares About Consumer Affairs No Matter What Stupid Things Her Male Colleagues Do Noda Seiko said in response to Asō's attempt to excuse Ōta's smirking and contextually sexist remark:

"When one is a minister of the government of Japan, one is expected to use Japanese that can be understood from Japan's North to its South."

Oooooooh! Looks like the country has found its Minister of Discipline!

Because Francisco sure seems to need one.

Seriously, when Asō-san gets up in the morning, does he go to the bathroom, look in the mirror and ask himself:

"OK. So what major government initiative am I going to undermine today?"