There are too many "multi-commentators" on Japanese TV programs. I'm talking about people who comment on various subjects. Are they experts on all of these subjects?

Of course, the answer is no.

On one news program, an ex-professional baseball player comments not only on baseball games but also on political problems every day. On another news program, a cartoonist comments on problems related to sports or politics -- rarely about cartoons. I think the reason for this social phenomenon is that Japanese people don't want TV programs to offer new, intelligent ideas that enlighten, but rather to offer some kind of guarantee.

In a society where unity of opinion is regarded as so important, people are afraid of not sharing the same ideas that others have. Japanese people want commentators to say only the things that most ordinary people already agree on. But it is necessary even for ordinary people to have access to expert opinion. We must not try to avoid the opinions of specialists even if they are inconvenient for us. So we should have more expert commentators.

yasuyuki matsunaka