By Takashi Mochizuki
Reconstruction Minister Ryu Matsumoto is in the hot seat.
Not just in his hectic day job of heading up Japan’s recovery efforts from the March 11 disasters. He, along with cabinet colleagues, is also now busy fending off a flurry of protest over an unguarded moment where he berated a senior official in the area devastated by the quake and tsunami for a perceived lack of manners. Worse still for Mr. Matsumoto, it was all caught on tape – including a warning to journalists not to broadcast the exchange, or else. The tape was duly aired (see above video in Japanese), attracting 215,000 views on YouTube and quickly trending on Twitter and Google.
The cardinal sin committed by Miyagi Governor Yoshihiro Murai? He had the temerity to keep Mr. Matsumoto waiting at a meeting this weekend during a tour of the region by the minister.
At the scheduled meeting, Gov. Murai had expected to give the minister an update on the state of the local recovery effort, outlining the future assistance needs of Miyagi prefecture, one of those most severely affected by March 11. Instead, he got a dressing-down on etiquette from the minister.
- Associated Press
- Ryu Matsumoto at the prime minister’s official residence after being appointed reconstruction minister on June 27.
Perhaps lacking the famed indefatigability of cabinet colleague and chief cabinet spokesman Yukio Edano, the 60-year-old Mr. Matsumoto’s patience was already visibly on the wane before Gov. Murai arrived. “It’s a matter of good manners that a host of the meeting should be present in the room to welcome a guest (when he arrives),” he tersely commented to accompanying officials while waiting for Mr. Murai.
Moments later, Mr. Murai appeared, smiling and seeking a handshake. Mr. Matsumoto waved him away brusquely. “When you are expecting a guest, make sure to be in the room first, understood?,” the minister snapped. In an apparent reference to previous generations’ appreciation for formality, the minister went on: “I’m sure that Japan’s military, which understands the order of elderly and young, would do it.” (The phrase “the order of elderly and young” duly went on to top Google’s local search trends).
Mr. Matsumoto also commented on a quake reconstruction-related request from the prefecture, which is still the subject of debate within Miyagi prefecture. “You be sure to get a consensus on it. Otherwise we won’t do anything.”
Becoming aware of growing tension – and the small matter of a media presence — in the room, Mr. Matsumoto appeared to sense the encounter had perhaps taken a turn for the worse. “By the way,” he said, addressing reporters, “the conversation the just happened is off the record. OK? Understand? You write this up, and it’ll be the end for you.”
Cue broadcast of the tape on TV, and ensuing Internet furor. But it’s not just a matter of rubbing Web users and a TV audience the wrong way: Opposition Liberal Democratic Party politicians have taken up the issue, expressing outrage, at a time when the government needs to harness all the cooperation it can muster to get important reconstruction legislation through parliament.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio “Tireless” Edano was duly trotted out Monday to calm the situation. “Minister Matsumoto has been in the front line as disaster prevention minister since March 11. He is most knowledgeable and has taken the victims’ matters to heart,” said Mr. Edano. In an allusion possibly designed to point to a simple wish to get things done quickly as a reason for Mr. Matsumoto’s comments, Mr. Edano said, “He has a tremendous sense of duty and responsibility in accelerating the speed of reconstruction.”
Mr. Matsumoto himself kept a lower profile early Monday, perhaps busy on some other important reconstruction task. Or perhaps reflecting on his official motto, according to his bio page on the cabinet’s web site: “Never forget one’s kindness.”
- Toko Sekiguchi contributed to this article.
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