Monday, August 31, 2009

選挙の意見 Election Thoughts

Yesterday, The DPJ thoroughly trounced the LDP, in a historic turnaround.

昨日、民主党は自由民主党に歴史的な大逆転の大勝ちをしました。

Well, why?

何故でしょう?

As a person who is very concerned with foreign affairs, I think that the LDP was totally unable to come up with any original policy. All they could think to do was follow in lockstep with American wishes. Frankly, I never had a sense of Japan having an independent foreign policy under the LDP.


私はよく外交の事を考えていますから、自由民主党は独自な外交を創らなかったと思っています。外交的に、自由民主党はただアメリカの希望通りを従うしかしませんでした。実際的に、自由民主党の支配で、日本は独立の外交を感じませんでした。

The thing is, what America does is not always necessarily good for Japan. Former President Bush’s demands that Japan cease oil development in Iran is one example. This policy greatly hurt Japan, and there was no benefit to be gained from supporting the US position in the Middle East.

実は、アメリカの活動が、日本にも必ず良い事では本当ではないです。例えば、ブッシュ大統領元政権が日本にイラン石油油田開発を辞める様に圧力をかけました。この政策は日本に傷に成って、日本はアメリカの中近東政策をすべて支持して利益がありませんでした。

The entire Bush administration policy of wars in the Middle East was a great mistake, and President Obama’s continuance of the Afghan war is a mistake.

ブッシュ元政権の中近東戦争政策は大間違いでしたし、オバマ政権のアフガン戦争を続く事も間違いです。

So should Japan simply follow along?

日本はただ続いていいですか?

Domestically speaking, as far as I could see, the LDP never had a coherent policy. At a guess, I would say that there were way too many 2nd and 3rd generation politicians in the LDP. Usually, such people grow up over protected. People around them always treat them deferentially in order to gain favor with Father. And if a problem arises, there is Father to help out. They grow up weak, unable to think or act for themselves. Of course, not all 2nd or 3rd generation people were like this, but too many LDP members were.

国内で、自由民主党は理路整然的政策が有りませんでした。推測をすると、二世と三世の政治家はとても多すぎました。だいたい、そう言う人の育ちは守りすぎです。その子の周りの人達はお父さんの世話を貰う為に、いつもその子の扱いが敬意的です。何か問題が有るといつもお父さんが手伝います。弱く育って、自分の意見も創らないし、自分で問題の解決も考えられません。

In Europe, it is, or at least it used to be customary for Princes to serve time in their countries military. Perhaps it might be a good idea for the wealthy families in Japan to have their sons and daughters do a stint in the Army or the Navy.

ヨーロッパでは、昔の王子達は自分の国の軍隊に入りました。もしかしたら、日本のお金持ちの家族は自分の息子達と娘達を陸上自衛隊とか海上自衛隊に入軍させる方がいいかも知れません。

These are just a few thoughts about yesterday’s election.

これは、昨日の選挙でいくつかの意見です。


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