Japan will have its first female prime minister.
For over 30 years, Japan has been described as a "country that never changes," but it is finally reaching a major turning point. I would like to
share my real-life impressions of this moment as a Japanese person living quietly in the Seto Inland Sea region.
1. Living through a long period of stagnation
I grew up in an era known as the "Ice Age Generation."
There weren't many jobs available after graduating, and even if you did find a job, your salary didn't increase. I lived in a social structure where hard work wasn't rewarded.
At the time, the words of politicians all sounded the same, and I thought, "No matter who does it, nothing will change."
In reality, the starting salary I received from the company I worked for 29 years ago is practically the same as the amount of my monthly sales as a self-employed person today. I feel like this country has been enveloped in an "atmosphere of resignation" for a long time.
2. Sanae Takaichi and Hirofumi Yoshimura: Symbols of a New Era
However, this time, Sanae Takaichi, a woman, was elected president of the Liberal Democratic Party, making her the first female prime minister in Japan.
Furthermore, the proposal to form a coalition with the Japan Restoration Party, headed by Hirofumi Yoshimura, has generated a completely different kind of enthusiasm at the center of politics.
Whether watching them on TV or on social media, their expressions, words, and the sparkle in their eyes are completely different from those of previous politicians.
I sense from their appearance that they are "seriously trying to change this country." I believe that the warmth of words can move the times.
3. The "national awakening" seen on social media
Living in rural areas, politics rarely comes up in everyday conversation.
However, from the recent presidential election to the coalition proposal, a surprisingly large number of people reacted to politics on social media. In the comments sections of X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube, people from young to middle-aged generations commented, "This time it's different," and "Finally, we have a decent politician," and the names of Takaichi and Yoshimura both trended repeatedly.
This wasn't just political news; perhaps it was
the moment when the public, who had long accepted their indifference as "resignation," began to talk about politics again Even for me, who lives in the countryside, the past few days, when I felt the reaction from across the country through social media, were an event that made me feel like "Japan is starting to move."
4. Japan's "potential" discovered abroad
I have lived in Malaysia and Thailand in the past. The reason I wanted to work overseas was because I had no hope for life in Japan.
However, as I lived overseas, I looked at Japan again and realized that "Japan's charms have not yet been fully utilized."
Beautiful scenery, politeness, food culture, and a society where people can live in peace.
But at the same time, I felt that there was a lack of politics to create a system that would make the most of these things. That is why the changes we are seeing now may be the last chance for the Japanese people.
5. Reasons to believe in change
I believe the birth of the Takaichi administration is not simply a change of government, but a "change in consciousness."
What moves this country is "serious determination" rather than policy.
I live in a small town in the Seto Inland Sea, where I film the sounds of rain and nature and share them with the world. Just as we have entered an era in which even local areas can communicate with the world, I believe that politics is also moving away from an era in which only the central government controls politics.
Conclusion
Having lived through an era when people could not trust politics, I am especially pleased that now there are people who are willing to try believing in it.
Japan is finally beginning to rise again. This is what I feel as I gaze upon the calm waves of the Seto Inland Sea.
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