Join Our Newsletter
  • Visit Our Store
  • Come Write for J-List!
J-List Blog
Visit J-List - Your Favorite Online Shop and Friend in Japan
  • Featured
  • News
  • Gallery
  • Product Reports
  • Your Friend in Japan
No Result
View All Result
J-List Blog
  • Featured
  • News
  • Gallery
  • Product Reports
  • Your Friend in Japan
No Result
View All Result
J-List Blog
No Result
View All Result

Japan’s New Prime Minister is Laughing at the Super Intellect

Peter Payne by Peter Payne
15 years ago
in Your Friend in Japan

As expected, the next Prime Minister of Japan has been chosen, and it’s former Finance Minister Naoto Kan (warning, link contains sound). I’ve been a fan of Mr. Kan’s ever since he did the right thing during a terrible scandal involving hemophilia patients who’d received tainted blood due to inept government policies, and I’m sure he’s as well equipped as anyone to handle the changes Japan is facing. Hailing from Yamaguchi Prefecture on the westernmost tip of the main Japanese island of Honshu — it’s famous for fugu, the blowfish that almost killed Homer Simpson — Mr. Kan is the first Japanese leader in a while that isn’t a “thoroughbred,” the term the Japanese media uses to describe blue-blooded politicians whose fathers and grandfathers also served as Prime Ministers. Incredibly, Mr. Kan is the 14th Japanese leader to hold office since I came to Japan in 1991, a period that saw only four leaders each in the U.S. and U.K. In fact, Japan has had twice as many leaders as the U.S. despite having half our history. What does this say about Japan? It’s hard to know for sure, but one idea might be deru kui wa utareru, or “the standing nail is driven.” According to this theory, the long-standing tradition of Japanese disliking anyone who stands out or rises above everyone else causes people to fail to support their leaders after they’ve taken office.

Naoto Kan is the 94th Prime Minister of Japan, and he’s laughing at the superior intellect

Tags: historystar trek

More Posts Like This

Isoroku Yamamoto From Zipang
Your Friend in Japan

Why Did I Watch a Film About Isoroku Yamamoto on Pearl Harbor Day?

by Peter Payne
2 years ago

I have a minor obsession with films released in the year of my birth, 1968. The other day, I was...

Western Tourist Who Paid To Take A Photo With Samurai Armor Blog
Your Friend in Japan

Meet the First Weeb in History, Complete With Samurai Armor

by Peter Payne
2 years ago

Let's delve into the history behind the Western tourist who paid to take a photo wearing samurai armor in 1890!

Vinland Saga Season 2

Vinland Saga Ends! Why Was This Anime ‘Peak Fiction’?

2 years ago
Dirty Pair Meets Star Trek

Let’s Explore Japan’s Relationship to Star Trek!

2 years ago
Vinland Saga Season 2

Seven Reasons to Watch Vinland Saga!

2 years ago
How Oppai Affect Gravity Albert Einstein

What Did Albert Einstein Find When He Visited Japan?

3 years ago
Next Post
STU126 P14 W

Of Train Station Bento and Tokyo Fashions

Trending Today

Summer 2025 Ecchi Anime Web Cover
Featured

Summer 2025 Ecchi Anime and The Streaming Services of Culture

5 days ago
Yandere Dark Elf Episode 1 Featured Image
Featured

Yandere Dark Elf, Episode 1 — Love Heavier than Chocolate Melons!

2 months ago
Spring 2025 Ecchi Anime Web Cover
News

Spring 2025 Ecchi Anime and Where to Watch Them

3 months ago
Jlist Wide Yabai Banner Email
Your Friend in Japan

J18 Publishing Presents: The YABAI Art Gallery Experience at LA ARTCORE, Little Tokyo!

5 days ago
Dekichau Made Kon Web Cover
News

Dekichau Made Kon Will Receive an Anime Adaptation

1 month ago
Get the Newest Figures from J-List - Your Favorite Online Shop and Friend in Japan
My Dress Up Darling Returns! 7 Reasons We Can't Stop Loving Marin Kitagawa
Your Friend in Japan

My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 Is Here! 6 Reasons We Can’t Stop Thinking About Marin Kitagawa

by Peter Payne
July 7, 2025

My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 Is Here! 6 Reasons We Can’t Stop Thinking About Marin Kitagawa

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 2 Travels North

Adult Slice of Life: Why You Should Watch Kowloon Generic Romance

Welcome to the Outcast’s Restaurant! — A Fluffy Foodie Iyashikei

Campfire Cooking with My +3 Cardboard Delivery Box (It’s Just a Box)

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Discord
  • YouTube

© J-LIST. All trademarks, characters and images are property of their respective owners.

No Result
View All Result
  • Featured
  • News
  • Gallery
  • Product Reports
  • Your Friend in Japan

© J-LIST. All trademarks, characters and images are property of their respective owners.

No Result
View All Result
  • Featured
  • News
  • Gallery
  • Product Reports
  • Your Friend in Japan

© J-LIST. All trademarks, characters and images are property of their respective owners.