Vice-Prime Minister and Finance Minister Aso Taro’s latest controversial remarks made global news, when he suggested that Japan could learn from the Nazis over constitutional reform.
While his remarks were met with international opposition, resulting in the leaders of the other major Japanese parties signing a statement denouncing Aso’s behaviour, public opinion has not completely turned against Aso, as some of the comments below demonstrate.
Still, as this article by well-respected journalist Tahara Soichiro suggests, could Aso be finally falling out of favour with the LDP?
From Nikkei BP:
“Aso’s Remarks” Should Not Be Overlooked As A Simple Slip Of The Tongue
The “Nazism” remarks that Aso Taro, vice prime minister and minister of finance, has made regarding constitutional reform, where he compared things to the Nazi regime, has been reported widely with great criticism. Mr. Aso has commented that he “would like to retract the fact that I used the Nazi regime as an example”, but this cannot be overlooked as a simple slip of the tongue.
He’s Very Entertaining, And Sometimes Makes Edgy Remarks
I’ve met Mr. Aso many times and have interviewed him. He’s very entertaining, sometimes making edgy remarks.
For instance, I’ve heard him say: “Mr. Tahara, it’s an ageing society these days. And as an indication of that, I’ve heard that people are forgetting their dentures at soaplands (which is how it was called back then).”
Another story went like this: “There was a man who tried to modernize the world before the French revolution. It was Oda Nobunaga. In France they banished the king and monks, but Oda Nobunaga burned down Mount Hiei, and repeatedly fought with the Ishiyama Hongan-ji which was the head temple of the Jōdo Shinshu sect of Buddhism.
He implied that even though Nobunaga died in Honnoji at the hand of the traitor Akechi Mitsuhide, had he survived he would have overthrown the emperor. Since Oda Nobunaga lived in the late 16th century, he would have modernized Japan two centuries before the French revolution.
“Not Again”
Aso’s remarks came out at an ordinary meeting of the think-tank Japan Institute for National Fundamentals, where journalist Sakurai Yoshiko is president. (The theme of the meeting was “the road to rebuilding Japan”.) Sakurai led the meeting as MC and Mr. Aso, along with others like Nishimura Shingo, member of the house of representatives, attended as panelists when Mr. Aso said the following:
“It is often misunderstood that Hitler took office with military power. That’s completely wrong. Hitler was chosen to take office through election”
“Hitler came into office under the Weimar constitution, which was the most progressive in Europe at the time. That means that even if the constitution is good, that kind of thing can happen.”
“One day, the Weimar constitution had changed into the Nazi constitution. Nobody had noticed. Why don’t we learn from that?”
To sum up, he is saying that Hitler led the Nazis to become the first party under the Weimar constitution and when he took office, he abolished the Weimar constitution and turned it into a complete dictatorship.
After hearing his remarks, I am honestly thinking, “not again”.
What Does Aso Mean By Saying “That Wasn’t Really What I Meant”?
That wasn’t all. In his speech, Mr. Aso has also said that he doesn’t want people to decide on a constitutional reform in a state of “frenzied chaos”. I think that for a constitutional reform to take place, there should be plenty of discussion. Mr. Aso is insane to describe that as a state of “frenzied chaos”.
In the West, if a government official says anything that affirms what the Nazis did, it would immediately lead to a discussion of his resignation. Saying “Why don’t we learn from that?” regarding the Nazis, is going too far. Even though it was said among people who had similar sensibilities regarding constitutional reform and national security, and even if he was giving “lip service”, it is a grossly insensitive remark.
Currently, constitutional reform is a largely debated theme within the Liberal Democratic Party. In that context, saying that he “does not want people to decide in chaos” and saying that we ought to “follow what Hitler did” cannot simply be overlooked as a “slip of the tongue”.
Mr. Aso has commented that he wants to “retract his remarks” , and that “it is not what I really meant and it is regrettable that it caused a misunderstanding”.
Although he has said that it is “not what he really meant”, what did he really mean? I’m not sure I know what he mean by that.
Does He Really Understand How Serious This Has Become?
This remark will probably decide how Mr. Aso will fare in the future. Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, as well as Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide are trying hard to erase the remarks Mr. Aso has made.
However, does Mr. Aso himself recognize how serious this problem has become?
The Abe government has a huge task of bringing the Japanese economy back on track for growth with Abenomics. The minister of finance has a central responsibility within that task. Just when they were trying to get things off the ground, this remark was truly careless.
At the general election last December and at the Upper House election in July, the LDP has won hands-down. Though the opposition party opposed Abenomics, they couldn’t come up with an alternative plan that was convincing enough for the electorate. So although people were wary of Abenomics, the only thing they could do is hope that Abenomics will work. Otherwise, if one was against Abenomics, the only other option was to refrain from voting.
Huge Mistake When Abe Government About To Face Moment Of Truth
Given that the opposition party was unreliable, and only a bad imitation of the LDP, people only had the choice of electing the “LDP or nothing”.
Perhaps Mr. Aso’s remarks came out as he was relieved that the LDP and Komeito had won the majority. However, that was a gross error.
Abenomics will is about to face the moment of truth. Now should be the time to be sober up and play out the cards — what a huge mistake Aso has made.
Tahara Soichiro
Comments from Twitter:
seisaku009:
I don’t expect anything from current anti-Japanese mass media w.
まぐろどんぶり:
He’s persistent. It’s much more embarrassing to pick up on a twisted reportage of what was really meant.
@シバ 核発電廃絶に一票:
I found something even more eerie! “Those who are dedicated to media control”
KGNH＠JP:
You have no right to say that, Tahara.
さくら:
How are the mass media who twisted the truth and turned it into an international problem going to make it even? Mr. Soichiro Tahara, you have been part of that, what do you think of national interest?
神風:
I don’t think a person such as Mr. Tahara cannot understand what Mr. Aso really meant, but he twists things on purpose and criticizes him. Once you’re with the lefties, you can never get out.
ちょうろう:
As a professional journalist has he read the whole text? He’s just going along with what the garbage mass media is saying. If it’s on purpose I can’t forgive him and if he believes it for real he’s an idiot.
Heythke:
You’re the one who’s “done it again”. You just hate Japan, and Taro Aso.
水都:
An idiot who can’t read the context. Simple thinking that it’s all wrong when you bring out Nazism as comparison. I’m baffled by the idiocy with which he cannot learn a lesson from a past event.
更紗:
I’m appalled by the stupidity of adults not being able to understand Japanese regarding this case. Have you read the whole speech? If you have, you need to go back to primary school.
Comments from Hatena Bookmark:
[Popular comments on Hatena Bookmark regarding Aso’s remarks]
emiladamas 自民党:
We made it (draft of constitutional reform by the LDP). We made it after spending over tens and twenties of hours discussing, going blah blah blah. We have such a pride in it” …and the result is that constitutional draft, vice prime minister?
good2nd 政治:
Even if we take it positively, it’s at most a “joke that says the Nazis did things well”. There’s no implication that it is an example of how not to behave.
rti7743:
After reading the whole speech, I think it’s easy to take it as “why don’t we change it secretively just like the Nazis did”
betelgeuse:
Before the discussion of Nazism and Hitler, I’m appalled that Mr. Aso is proud of that constitutional draft. I also thought the same when I read the “essay” by Mr.Tamogami.
rna media 政治:
Oh there’s an even more detailed one…..So he even said that he is proud of that LDP constitutional draft and since he’s worked on it enough people should shut up….
mikanyama-c:
Oh this one’s really written like it is exactly what he has said….you sort of understand what he’s trying to say when you’re there, but if you think about it afterwards he speaks in a way that you really don’t get what he’s trying to say
wackunnpapa 政治 Gleichschaltung:
He’s saying this and that, but to sum it up, it’s “those that follow need not to know”.
koseki:
It’s a bad joke that says “While the Germans were in a frenzy they changed it into Nazis constitution”. So he is saying “While the anti-reformists are in a frenzy, why don’t we learn from the Nazis how they secretly changed the constitution(笑)”. What a fool, and he’s showing what he actually wants to say.
yoshihiroueda:
Even after reading all this, I don’t see it as Yomiuri Shinbun or Tokyo Shinbun twisting the truth. On one hand some people didn’t hear it as a praise for Hitler’s tactics, so even if he is good at talking it’s probably not logical.
gyogyo6:
After people saying “let us read the whole thing”, the transcript of the recording has surfaced, but this is even more confusing, which is very much like our Aso. Since the Jewish groups are in action(?), he himself should “explain the truth”.
