Regarding the Sentaku magazine article published in The Japan Times on Dec. 16, "Japan aches for a political rescue": Hajime Funada should be applauded for summing up the Japanese political landscape so accurately, and the people of Japan should take heed when next deciding whom to cast their votes for.
Unfortunately, in his comments about the ruling parties comprising politicians of widely differing ideologies, Funada has touched upon a bigger problem: Politicians in Japan, as in many other countries, do not stand for what they believe in. In at least some instances, they know what must be done to address the serious issues facing the nation but dare not say anything that might cost them votes and prevent them from getting elected.
This is a perversion of democracy. Those running for public office should acknowledge it as their duty to say what they truly believe is best for their electorate and why, and humbly acknowledge the will of the majority if another candidate wins. How can the Japanese voters really trust people who will tell them anything they want to hear just to keep their jobs?
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