VOX POPULI: Will 'The Tale of Kan' turn out to be a thriller?

When Yukio Hatoyama formally stepped down Tuesday as prime minister, he did not give a farewell news conference. During his term, his words seemed to carry little weight. The way he quit was in keeping with the way he spoke.

In short, he treated the post of prime minister too lightly. Looking back at his policy speech last year, in which he expressed his lofty ideals with great fanfare, his exit was rather pathetic.

Hatoyama also said he would retire from politics when his term as a lawmaker expires. Since he comes from a rich family, I'm sure he can enjoy a leisurely life without worrying about having to make ends meet. But the controversy raging over the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, which threw Okinawa Prefecture into confusion, won't go away. Even if Hatoyama quits the political world, that won't solve anything. What does he intend to do in his remaining time as a lawmaker, and as an individual, in dealing with the Futenma issue? I'm sure I'm not the only person who thinks he owes the public an explanation.

Hatoyama left these important questions unanswered and the administration of Naoto Kan took over. The new Cabinet and leadership of the Democratic Party of Japan appears to have gotten off to a good start. This is due in part to the party's decision to distance itself from former DPJ Secretary-General Ichiro Ozawa, which is perceived in a positive light.

Looking at the lineup of the Cabinet and party leadership, I get the impression that not only the book jacket has changed, but also its table of contents. The question now is what this book's content will turn out to be.

I once wrote in this column that the kanji shu can be read both as aruji (master) and nushi (don), depending on the context. I noted that Ozawa still lorded it over the DPJ, more as its dreadful nushi than as aruji. Recently, in particular, he seems to have distanced himself from popular will.

During the New Year holidays, a large number of lawmakers visited Ozawa at his residence to pay their respects. He also engaged in undisguised influence peddling in an attempt to secure votes for the upcoming Upper House election. Many voters must have been disillusioned. Ironically, now we know that Ozawa was a huge hidden asset for recovering support.

At the news conference to announce his entrance into office, Prime Minister Naoto Kan said he would put his all into running the administration, thinking of his job as "training." I want to believe in his words.

How can he win public support for policies that do not rely on the anti-Ozawa image? The administration will soon be tested.

--The Asahi Shimbun, June 9

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.