Lies and Staging in Politics (1974)

Lies and Staging in Politics (1974)

In 1974, Japan was still reeling from the turmoil of the first oil crisis. Prices skyrocketed, the term "frenzy prices" became a household word, and distrust of the government's economic policies grew. At the same time, the large-scale public investments symbolized by Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka's "Theory of Remodeling the Japanese Islands" and the moneyed nature of such investments gradually became the target of criticism.

Against this backdrop, politicians tried to play the role of "honest leaders," but their efforts were seen as "lies" by the public. The article highlighted a live broadcast of a Diet session, saying, "The floor of the Diet is merely a stage set. Politicians act according to the script and feign sincerity, but the public is no longer fooled by their theatrics.

In their speeches to the Diet, they are more likely to "fudge" or "dodge questions" than to express their true intentions, and their press conferences are lined with scripted lines. The media and young people reacted sensitively to this overdramatic attitude. Magazines and TV programs of the time also began to use more and more satirical expressions about politics, and people began to share a sense of discomfort with politics as an art form.

The article concluded, "Integrity in politics is not about how well one acts, but about the resolve behind one's answers," calling for a rethinking of the weight of words in response to "political staging" that substitutes lies for the truth.

The year was 1974, a time when a deep rift began to emerge between politicians and the public. The gulf was too deep to be bridged by "acting.

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In 1974, Kakuei Tanaka was the prime minister of Japan. In that year, he was the symbol of money politics in the political world, and there were numerous political incidents and turmoil that led to the resignation of his cabinet.

Prime Minister: Kakuei Tanaka (in office: July 1972 - December 1974)
Representative policies: The "Theory of Remodeling the Japanese Islands" of 1972 promoted large-scale public works projects in rural areas.
Incident in 1974: The Tanaka administration rapidly lost support as prices soared and people's lives were squeezed in the wake of the first oil crisis. In addition, his own money problems (e.g., opaque land transactions) were reported in Bungeishunju, and he faced a fierce public outcry.
Result: In December 1974, Kakuei Tanaka resigned as prime minister citing "poor health," but in effect his resignation was due to scandal.

■ Masayoshi Ohira (then Foreign Minister, later Prime Minister)
Under the Tanaka administration, maintained a diplomatic line while giving consideration to U.S.-China relations. Also involved in the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China.

Takeo Fukuda (former Minister of Finance, political opponent of Tanaka)
He and Kakuei Tanaka were political rivals, and engaged in a factional war known as the "Kakufuku War.

Takeo Miki (Tanaka's successor, appointed prime minister in December 1974)
He was called "Clean Miki" for his clean politics, but was isolated within the party and had a difficult time running the government.

In 1974, politicians' behavior began to be regarded as "staged," and the question of integrity was raised.