I'm the Heavy, Ya See? I Don't Care What Nobody Thinks

Former Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General, current party Strategy Headquarters chief and principal heir to the Koizumi legacy Nakagawa Hidenao has been making all kinds of independent and headstrong statements about party backsliding on the commitment to a return to fiscal balance in a bid for...relevance? Certainly not for popularity with his fellow LDP bigwigs, who all seem intent on falling over each other with ever more impossible "cost-free" economic stimulus packages.

Yesterday, according to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Nakagawa introduced himself with these words:

"It is said that in the party I say shocking and heretical things. But then I'm not afraid of being left isolated."

Which hardly seems the attitude of the man who should be busying himself leading the team crafting the party's shared strategic vision.

What is Nakagawa's hope? Does he hope that something will be worth salvaging after the LDP goes to its post-Koizumian doom? That he will have enough "maverick" street credibility to pick up one of the bits that will splinter off the great LDP juggernaut and create a new party?

I can think of phrases that describe Nakagawa - but somehow "team player" is not one of them.

Later - It seems that Nakagawa is looking ahead -- way, way ahead -- in search of public support for his mavericky ways. His boastful statement of not been afraid of being isolated within the party? Delivered to a group of children taking part in the annual "Children's Diet" mock Diet session.

"I'm with all of you, the next generation," he told them, "I'm not afraid being isolated from adult society."

"I'm telling the leaders of the Spending Faction of the party, 'Let's drop this notion that we can just push our debts out on the next generation."

Oh, Nakagawa-san...you are the ultimate position player...and in only three to nine years, your young listeners will even have the legal means of showing you their support via the ballot box.

Later still - So what was the Nihon Keizai Shimbun's goal in quoting Nakagawa out of context -- the NKS saying only that Nakagawa had made the topmost statement "while in Tokyo"?