It is said that the Japanese medical welfare system is about to collapse. I can't feel humanity in Japanese politics. The postwar politics of the Liberal Democratic Party, making itself seem like a parliamentary democracy, have been allowed as the will of the Japanese people since the end of World War II. The results are corruption, and the wasting of our taxes by all sorts of government ministries and agencies, and the politicians. Whenever a national election is held in Japan, I doubt the Japanese people's intentions as to why they have voting rights. Why do the Japanese people give the "go" sign to their rotten government? Since the ending of campus strife in 1960s, in spite of their unfavorable situation, the Japanese people have forgotten political behavior or political demonstration, and going on strike at their place of work. According to the foreign media, Japanese people's behavior of standing as firm as a rock in spite of their government's misrule through serious political corruption seems strange to foreigners.

Now public hospitals in Japan are going bankrupt one after another, the reason being a shortage of doctors and cuts in the medical benefit of the national budget. Consequently, if the hospitalization of a patient is beyond three months, in spite of having a serious disease, the patient is turned out from the hospital regardless of whether he wants to be. Do you want a society like this?

The Oct. 25 editorial "Normal State" from The Korea Herald made me very sad and I'm very indignant that the United States has delisted North Korea as a terrorism-sponsoring country. It is hard to understand why a major power such as the United States doesn't take a tougher stance on the rogue state. I think most politicians and ordinary citizens don't expect North Korea will ever be a worthy nation that participates in the international community. But the issue of North Korea cannnot be marginalized. This is because there is the problem of Japanese abductees in North Korea. The United States, the United Nations and the Japanese government must make efforts to help the abductees and solve the nuclear issue.

I am glad to hear that new Prime Minister Taro Aso is reluctant to dissolve the Lower House. I am going to take an exam in the first half of November, so I don't want to be disturbed by the noise of an election campaign.

A few years ago, I saw a very silent general election in Malaysia. There was no calling the candidates' names repeatedly, just posters. My friend told me that it was the wisdom of a multiracial country to live peacefully with each other. I hope Japan follows this smart style, soon.

It was very interesting to read the story about food-related scandals in China (Oct. 11 issue). Recently, we have made a fuss about various food-poisoning problems found in gyoza or kidney beans in Japan, but the problem seems to be much more serious in China because many infants died or were hospitalized. The article reflected my opinion.

The Japan Times Weekly: Nov. 15, 2008
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