Whoever translated this piece has my sympathy. It's hard to translate sentences devoid of meaning. I can almost see through the original Japanese words, cliche after cliche after cliche.
Noda's op-ed, from Washington Post (3/9/2012); emphasis is mine, and my comment in blue italic in square brackets:
A year after the earthquake, building a new Japan
By Yoshihiko Noda, Friday, March 9, 5:01 PM
March 11 is etched in Japan’s collective consciousness. Today, on the first anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, which triggered the starkest crisis our country has faced in a generation [let's see, a generation is 30 years. I think he meant at least 2 generations, so it goes back to right after World War II; otherwise it doesn't make any sense], we pause to commemorate all of those who suffered. Our thoughts go out to all of the victims of the tragedy and to people around the world whose lives have been devastated by natural disasters.
We will not forget the loved ones, friends and colleagues lost in the disaster. Nor will we forget the outpouring of support and international expressions of solidarity that Japan received. For this, we feel deeply indebted and forever appreciative. [I remember they dare returned blankets donated by Indonesia, because the blankets didn't meet the Japanese specs. Some appreciation.]
Japan has made remarkable progress over the past 12 months. Today we renew our commitment to learn from the great difficulties we have faced [you are still facing them]. I firmly believe that this period of difficulty must, and will, come to mark the start of a full-fledged revitalization of Japan.
The national solidarity and sense of urgency that resulted from last year’s tragedy underscore that we have the collective will to tackle our most pressing issues [I hardly sense any solidarity, any sense of urgency, or collective will; for once, ordinary Japanese are not really into "collective" anything]: reconstruction of areas affected by the earthquake; full decommissioning of Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station and decontamination of affected areas; and revitalization of the Japanese economy.
The many steps taken in a year included establishing a budgetary and legislative framework that laid out many of the strategic tools for reconstruction. We set up the Reconstruction Agency, which acts as a control tower for all related planning and significantly streamlines and expedites activities, including formation of reconstruction grants and special reconstruction zones [to hand out pork to construction companies and hand out tax benefits to large corporations]. In addition, procedures for monitoring and testing food products have been strengthened, while more than 1 trillion yen in state funds have been provided for the decontamination of residential areas close to the Fukushima Daiichi plant.
The issues of greatest concern among affected individuals, and our nation as a whole, are the most fundamental: job security and a sustainable livelihood for families [those have been totally destroyed by the Koizumi administration]. Through the creation of special reconstruction zones and other initiatives under the concept of “open reconstruction,” these regions will stimulate new domestic and overseas investment, creating jobs, driving the restoration of existing industries and enhancing innovation. [What the hell is open construction?]
The creation of 11 “FutureCities” throughout Japan, in areas including the disaster-hit municipalities of Ofunato, Rikuzentakata and Higashimatsushima, is one such example. Through budgetary, tax and regulatory measures, support will be provided to develop an industry and social infrastructure linked with compact cities and decentralized, environmentally friendly energy production that uses “smart” grids and large-scale solar and offshore wind farms. [Sound like Potemkin Village.] Japan is already a leader in energy efficiency, and it has a wealth of innovative technologies. We must put this expertise to use creating a model for growth and sustainability that we can share with the world.
Another area where Japan can, and I believe must, lead the world and share its knowledge is disaster-risk reduction and response [What knowledge?]. We have learned, in the harshest possible terms, that it is no longer acceptable to claim that events had been unforeseen. To build resilient communities and a country able to withstand natural disasters, our disaster-management measures are being comprehensively reviewed, and I expect they will be dramatically strengthened.
Of course, Japan also faces challenges that were apparent before last year’s earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster. We have been tackling some, such as securing robust economic growth and rebuilding government finances, for a number of years. The longer these issues are left unresolved, the more serious they become.
When I became prime minister last September, I promised the Japanese people that I would not tolerate the politics of indecision. A propensity to delay difficult and weighty decisions has been hurting our country. It is detrimental to our economy, society and future, and it cannot be allowed to continue. [Right. So let's raise consumption tax by 10%, that will bring about true recovery.]
The many projects underway for Japan’s reconstruction and revitalization constitute the first step toward our country’s economic revival [by taking the country deeper into debt?]. Securing robust economic growth is a momentous challenge in the face of global economic uncertainty, the yen’s historic appreciation and long-standing deflation — but it is not insurmountable. [It's been insurmountable for 22 years.]
We must draw on the unique strengths of the Japanese economy [like what?], seek an open and cooperative approach with our international partners, and intelligently exploit the promise of new growth areas. Sectors such as energy, the environment, health and nursing care hold significant potential as leading growth industries where Japan can tap innovative ideas and investment from the private sector, including foreign direct investment [here we go. TPP], and play a leading role globally. We aim to create the conditions to support increased international interest and investment in Japan, not only in business but also in tourism. As a prerequisite, we commit to providing timely and accurate information to the international community.
In recent history, Japan seized rapid economic expansion from the ashes and desolation of World War II, and we built the most energy-efficient economy in the world in the aftermath of the oil shock. On the anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, we remember that today we face a challenge of similar proportions [Similar? I don't think so. It's monumentally bigger]. Our goal is not simply to reconstruct the Japan that existed before March 11, 2011, but to build a new Japan. We are determined to overcome this historic challenge.
© The Washington Post Company
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11 comments:
You're right. A long speech rich with emptiness.
He wants to build a NEW Japan? How can they expect to build a "new" Japan by spreading radioactive contamination throughout the nation by burning and spreading contaminated food, etc?
Quarantine Fukushima affected areas and bury all tsunami rubble in Fukushima. The affected areas are now wasteland that cannot be used for anything other than storage of nuclear waste. Anything other than this is simply spreading the contamination nation wide. Fools are running the nation of Japan and should be removed from their seats of power before the nation is completely destroyed (almost there already).
@kintaman, you ask "How can they expect to build a "new" Japan by spreading radioactive contamination throughout the nation by burning and spreading contaminated food, etc? "
It is a new Japan, isn't it? Radioactive "everything" spread everywhere. No other country in the history of the planet has done this feat.
Hello. Thank you for the blue italic. Could develop or give a hint of further reading about "[those have been totally destroyed by the Koizumi administration]." Koizumi had high approval ratings didn't he ? How could he destroy people's life while keeping high approval ratings ?
People thought Koizumi was bringing Japan to some global standard and that was considered good. He sure brought Japan to a global standard, by destroying the employment system that had worked for Japan for all these years since World War II. I'll find links for you.
How can a country with 100% airconditioning be "energy-efficient"? How can ultra-large TV sets be "energy efficient"? How can exploding nuclear plants be "energy efficient"?
And so on. All this is rubbish imposed by the US to Japan.
The attitude of this speech makes the same impression of any US president speaking before the AIPAC.
I fear this will be the final coffin nail to the Japan, Inc.
Japan being cheaply sold out to anonymous foreign "investors" for worthless paper chips called "dollars".
The consequences will be mass unemployment and debt crisis finally getting out-of-control.
Japan becoming like Greece. The Japanese government becoming an ensemble of Rothschild puppets, betraying the Japanese people for the interests of a small gang of foreign super-oligarchs.
Seems like Japan finally surrenders after 160 years of war since the Cannonboat age.
"In addition, procedures for monitoring and testing food products have been strengthened," (in blue: in order to reduce the amount of contaminated food we find and increase the amount of contaminated food we can sell on the market.)
"The issues of greatest concern among affected individuals, and our nation as a whole, are the most fundamental: job security and a sustainable livelihood for families"
(In blue: No, the issue of greatest concern is that the government and nuclear power industry stop spewing radioactive materials into the air our children breathe and the food our children eat. And it would be good if they can get control of the the crumbling #4 fuel pool, to avoid the need for evacuating Tokyo. This will take quite a while, and an earthquake or plane or helicopter crash might bring it down at any moment.)
Regarding Koizumi's popularity, let me assure you that in 1937 invading China and in 1941 attacking the U.S. and Great Britain were extremely popular among the average Japanese. People were overjoyed. They felt that finally Japan was standing up to the bullies and doing the right thing. The war was somewhat less popular as the consequences were better understood in 1945.
Imperial Japan's war enthusiasm seems similiar with Germany standing up against the Versailles dictate.
Remember, this treaty practically rendered Germany into a tributing colony that was getting plundered down to its bones.
The helplessness and desperateness of the empoverished Germans helped Hitler to power.
But this alone wouldn't have been possible without the massive financial aid that the Nazi movement received over many years from Warburg and other Jewish banks.
Now, the only colonial system remaining on the world is the Anglo-American one.
Which in turn is economically and politically controlled by a minority of two percent of the population that owns most of the mass media and leads the AIPAC.
And now this US government is leading towards another colonial war against the last country that openly dares to oppose its hegemony.
Obeying to the war drums that sound in a small country that established in former Palestina, which in turn won't have been possible to establish without erecting a Nazi government in WW-I-defeated Germany.
I really hoped that Japan would resist its dispossession and not fall prey to this sell-out scheme of "free trade" which transfers power from the elected politicians to the multinational banks and companies that are responsible only to their owners and not to the populations...
Ripping great deconstruction of the political oatmeal and cover up to non-workable solutions we are bound to be flooded with today, UltraMan! Perfect antidote.
We are living in the *actual* "new Japan", like it or not, and not the one Noda is referring to. Year Two, here we come.
Air conditioning and flat screen TVs are imposed on Japan by the US?
Its all the fault of the Jesuit-Illuminati-Mosad triumvirate who created the HAARP machine and used it in Fukushima just after injecting the stuxnet virus....
Ye gods. (rolls eyes)
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