Talking politics in Japan today

Abstract

This book focuses on the rhetoric used by members of the political elite and the news media in Japan as the core of political dynamics in this country. Based on the notion that political society is formed by language, and that in a broad sense the essence of politics is talk, 'Talking Politics in Japan Today' examines the multifarious aspects of political discourse in Japan. Discussion focuses on political discourse involving Diet members and political leaders - including the prime minister, the chief cabinet secretary, and leaders of political parties and party factions - as well as the discourse of the news media as it evolves and revolves around the Diet, the prime minister's official residence, headquarters of the major political parties, and Diet members' offices. The activities that take place in Nagatacho [government] and how they are expressed and reflected in communication-related processes - including interaction between Diet members and media representatives, the language used by politicians, and the functions that rhetoric performs in the Japanese polity - are examined. The author also investigates how political rhetoric varies according to the circumstances and intended visibility of events; the structure and focus of political news; the language and methods information sources used to disseminate information and put their desired spin on events; and the nuances and tone of language used by Diet members and officials to shape the country's political culture. The work addresses explicit and implicit meanings of slogans and gaffes; political cartoons in daily newspapers (examples included); the nature of political interviews on Japanese television; and the ways non-Japanese perceive Japan's views of world events.

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