The Standing Prime Minister is Nailed Down

One of the most famous phrases related to Japan is deru kui wa utararu (de-ru KOO-ee wa oo-TAH-reh-roo), which means “the standing nail is driven” and describes the tendency of Japanese to want to “hammer down” anyone who rises above others, or who stands out. This concept comes up in politics quite often, and the minute a new Prime Minister takes office, he quickly finds himself assailed from all sides. Prime Minister Hatoyama is in hot water over over not properly declaring financial gifts totaling 900 million yen ($10 million) from his mother, who is the daughter of the founder of the Bridgestone Tire Company. It’s leading to a lot of jokes about the Prime Minister getting his cash stipend to families with children early — poking fun at the Democratic Party of Japan’s promise to divert money from public works projects and dole it out to families instead. Apparently Mr. Hatoyama isn’t the down-to-earth everyman, sitting around reading Kani-Kousen (Crab-Canning Ship, the famous anti-Capitalist novel that’s been getting popular in Japan in recent years) he was painted as.

Hatoyama answers questions before the Diet.