In the past two weeks the pension scandal that has touched so many lawmakers has progressed from a political embarrassment to pure farce. The offered reason for regret is that the people's "trust in politics" has been damaged, a suggestion that's risible even under normal circumstances.
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However, by dwelling on the apologies the media has obscured the real meaning of the scandal. The citizens know that the ruling coalition was pushing a revised pension bill through the Diet that would raise premiums while cutting benefits, and that the Democratic Party of Japan opposed it.