Ishihara retires from politics
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116 Comments
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18
JohnBecker
I'm glad he's leaving. I hope he never comes back.
20
CrazyJoe
Thank God. I hope this racist just fades away. For Ishihara World War ll never ended.
9
gokai_wo_maneku
He lost his seat. It shows that the new conservatism (rightism, fascism etc.) in Japan is only skin deep. Almost nobody wants it. I hope Abe notices this. Conservative parties lost most of their seats. I hope China notices this.
12
Yubaru
And two too many!
But gotta hand it to the people who did name the Party for Future Generations....the people were smart enough to know that there is no future with Ishihara.
15
BuBuBu
Good riddance!
8
DeDe Miura
hallelujah!
11
sillygirl
Banzai banzai banzai
13
klausdorth
One of the best news during the past couple of weeks (months or years??).
About time! One down, many more to go!!
11
Magnet
Terrific news! Sayonara and don't come back! Japan is better without you!
16
smithinjapan
Good riddance to extremely bad rubbish. I'm surprised, though, that this article doesn't quote his reply to a questioner about China. Ishihara said that he hates all Chinese, and that if he could have one wish it would be to fight a war with China and win. THIS is the kind of thing that the Japanese right-wing nutbags all secretly want, and Ishihara is proof that revision of the constitution is NOT a good thing!
3
klausdorth
"smithinjapan" ... where did you see or read this?
Darned - would love to put this all over the net!!!
8
Peeping_Tom
"Darned - would love to put this all over the net!!!
No need, it's already there.
http://newsonjapan.com/html/newsdesk/article/110690.php
-3
TokyoLurker
time to enter H.Murakami in picture then? LOL
6
JWithers
Good Riddance
In this man's head the war continues. They're still fighting. The guy is a zombie.
1
paulinusa
Read between the lines, he's not running for office. That doesn't mean he won't work behind the scenes to influence politics.
4
papigiulio
Don't let the door hit you on the way out!
Next....ASO!
5
dbsaiya
bye bye senile old chicken hawk, hope we never have to see or hear you again.
9
gokai_wo_maneku
Actually, he did not "retire", but he was "retired". He lost his seat in the Diet. He was "retired" by the people.
-2
Womp101
Ya, that's right...it wasnhis "party's name".
3
Pukey2
Close the door on your way out! Next up is another fossil by the name of Hiranuma Takeo.
5
Sensato
The world is now a safer place. Good riddance.
5
avigator
Hasta la vista baby!And don't be back.
4
Commodore Shmidlap (Retired)
Yeah, the name. It was the name. Just change it to something catchier and more accurate. Like the "Mass Suicide Party."
7
SenseNotSoCommon
Antartica's nice.
9
Sensato
There are 23 comments on this thread so far, and not even one expresses regret that he is stepping down. Ha. (The trolls must be sleeping today.)
9
Kent D Hatashita
The irony of this sentence kills me!
Glad this xenophobe has finally called it quits!
6
Chris Clancy
Goodbye & good riddence. Of corse, we're still stuck with Abe & the LDP circus. I'm beginning to think this nation needs a special envoy to come in & oversee governance a la FIBA & Japan's unprofessional (sic) basketball fiasco
7
DaDude
Hit the road jack and don't you come back no more no more no more......
Na na na na, Na na na na, Hey Hey, Goodbye!
6
StormR
He is not a nice person and I'm glad he is now gone, that's something that should have happened 30 years ago, he was a racist among other things.
8
klausdorth
Since everyone did get "down-voted" by some troll, I decided to give you all a thumbs up!!
And concerning Mr. Ishihara .... hope this will be a "never-return-trip" (at least concerning politics)!
8
citizen2000
A very good news for all fighting Xenophobia.
13
DVDexpert
"I have decided to retire after the results of the latest poll".
No, it wasn't your decision. The general public did that for you. We recommend you read your own book, "The Japan that can say no" and when you do, bear in mind that Japan did just that on Sunday. One more thing, the millions of tax paying residents of Tokyo would like to present you with this bill of ¥40 billion plus interest and costs, the amount of money which you stole from them in 2008 with your criminal "Shinginko" project. In case you cannot pay, please accept this civil lawsuit on our behalf. That's all, you can change into your pajamas now.
9
LHommeQuiMent
Splendid.
Now that he is retired, he has enough time to study Chinese language and culture.
2
375sensei
Maybes he's just "graduating" from politics.
4
kyushubill
Cheers. Great Christmas present.
-7
Wakarimasen
A hero to many oldies in Tokyo and across Japan. and, to be fair, he didn't do a bad job of governing Tokyo - just was a problem when he opened his yap about matters national or international.
4
Daniel Neagari
Well it was about time.... a bit too late in fact, he should have retired 15 years ago.
2
HaraldBloodaxe
As governor in 2012, he raised cash to purchase the uninhabited Senkaku islands,
Did he ever explain what he did with all this money, once the Government very kindly stepped in and used ours instead?
7
Sasakikojiro2
I'm not sure what this announcement means. But on the face of it -- thank goodness this idiot is out.
7
Jimizo
He and his bigotry did as much as anyone to reinforce negative stereotypes of Japanese people in Asia and around the world. He should be remembered for that. Unfortunately, he's not the last of his kind.
0
Harry_Gatto
He did have some entertainment value though so I'll miss him for that, but only that.
-1
shiboritate
Bring on the thumbs down, but I'm sad to see him go. He was always frank and direct in a profession filled with liars. Japan needs more people like Ishihara who promote a Japan that can say "No". It's about time Japan acts like a sovereign state and protects its interests from aggressive neighboors.
6
Viki Lyn Paulson-Cody
When his famous quote came out "all foreigners are criminals" I knew this guy was a nut!! Good riddance to him! He was eager to make the bid for the Tokyo Olympics I thought about asking him if he knew that lots of foreigners will come!!!
6
gogogo
Please stay out, you are one of the biggest stains of Japan
13
lucabrasi
@shiboritate
Frankness and honesty are not necessarily good things if you're spouting vile nonsense.
This is the man who said recently that he hates "people from Communist countries". Not Communism, or Communist regimes, but "people" who happen to be born inside certain national boundaries.
You seriously think we need more like him?
9
Jimizo
@shiboritate His idea of a Japan that can say no is a debate worth having and he did put these ideas forward forcefully. However, his attacks on the people of other countries, women, his idea that those who perished on 3/11 were taken by divine justice and various other insanitary and insane outbursts were disgraceful. I saw him as a man who above all loved a headline but I never doubted that his bigotry was genuine. Just unpleasant.
8
itsonlyrocknroll
A living monument to ethnic Nationalism at Its territorial worst, forced back under the rock he crawled out of, by the will of the people at the ballot box. Regretfully it took until this vile and wretched jingoists 82nd year to be banished from front line politics poisoning a nation. Better late than never. I apologise if my words offend the legions of supporters whose folly kept him in office, this creature stands for every quality I despise in humanity, he did nothing but indulge in the politics of hatred.
3
dcog9065
What a douche, hopefully he withers away never to be heard of again
5
Harry_Gatto
Don't worry, they won't be reading this.
-1
Mick_Hardwick
Good effort Ishi-chan!!
You did you best to get us all blown to kingdom come!
0
Stephen Knight
Notice that his hair is darker now than it was when he was governor...
3
Peacetrain
Well, it all seems funny. But, isn't it really depressing that a man who wanted to wage war and defeat China was elected governor of the biggest city in Japan?
Buying Senkaku and so many utterances were just designed to bait China into a conflict - a conflict that he would of course wanted the US to fight. Not funny.
And in effect he succeeded in influencing the whole country. When Japan could have been working on change after the earthquake, the people's attention was diverted to China and the Senkakus. So Ishihara helped create the environment where Abe and the LDP have won, and the country is going to increasingly become nationalistic. More people than ever hate China, and will slowly be accepting of changes to the constitution and animosity toward China. The glorification of Kamikaze's, the denial of Nanking, comfort women - he's had a hand in all of that.
So in a sense he's probably pleased with himself. It just didn't happen fast enough. And he wouldn't care how many young people died in a war.
So while his extreme party didn't win, it helped elect people close to him.
So you can lampoon him all you like, but it's really not funny.
And if so many people can follow Ryuho Okawa who says he is the saviour of the world and advised Christ, the Buddha, Mohammed you name it, and he can start a political party, it's pretty obvious that people will follow just about any madman who speaks with confidence.
This country scares me sometimes.
2
Will Taylor
If you think he is retiring from political activity, I've got some islands to sell you.
-8
sengoku38
I think he is a pretty good guy who cares a lot about Japan. Most Japanese politicians only care about being popular and getting money and attention for themselves. Ishihara tried to make a stand for Japanese culture, even though it is not a popular thing to do.
-13
Kajima Seibei
Wow, such vitriol! When there's gaijin consensus like this I think a contrarian view is in order. He is a popular politician, though not populist, as he is unafraid to express his views. In a country where politicians tend to act like faceless, bland bureaucrats without any opinion this is refreshing. Koizumi has the same direct honesty. They were elected, time and again because people felt they were frank and honest. I have confidence in Japanese people's common sense and democratic maturity and besides it's their country so they can vote for whoever they like. Some gaijins are paranoid, too busy looking for rightwing fascists under every futon in this country to try to understand and empathise with this country and its resilient, sensible people.
2
Simona Stanzani
a very happy day for Japan and the World.
3
Simon Foston
Not that popular any more, obviously.
And that's just about the only good thing anyone can think of to say about him.
4
Hansaram
Ishihara also praise Hashimoto saying that Hashimoto is like young Hitler.
“This may not be the most appropriate analogy, but his powerful speech skill is just like Hitler when he was young.”
http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2014/12/17/shintaro-ishihara-retires-with-some-parting-shots/
2
tamanegi
Let's build him a retirement house on the Senkakus
0
5petals
Actually some of Ishis older works were not so Anti western or racist, I acutally enjoyed reading it. Like many in Japan, I think he is just a confused post war oyaji
-1
Kurobune
Wanna bet ?
-7
tinawatanabe
He WAS so popular that he did governor 4 times. He never went to China although invited. He had guts and insight.
3
Simon Foston
Just answer the question. Why did he lose the election?
-6
tinawatanabe
Simon, Did you see the picture? He looks too old. You obviously don't read Japanese papers and their posts.
2
toshiko
@Simon FostonDEC. 17, 2014 - 09:03PM JST He WAS so popular that he did governor 4 times.
Just answer the question. Why did he lose the election?
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;''
His brother'smovie fans in his ward were gone gradually.
0
Yubaru
Typically in Japan when one loses an election and are put out to pasture due to age they lose their ability to influence anything because they have nothing to give back, nor the potential either.
If he was 20 years younger, he could make a come back and this might be a factor, but at his age, and with the next Diet election in 4 years he will be 86 or 87 by then, he really has nothing to give the "future generations" and he will become a figure head at best.
Tolerated, and everyone bowing their heads and praising him for the job he has done, but just tolerated, nothing more nothing less.
He's done.......thank God it was sooner than later!
0
SaitamaRefugee
So, are you saying not going to China means he has guts?
2
Mocheake
Champagne-popping time! Just made my Christmas that much more special. Wonder if it's too much to ask that he take all the other xenophobic old fogeys wih him?
4
Parsnipstuffing
Personally, I'll be extremely sorry to see him leave the limelight he so craves, an embodiment of all that is wrong with this society, but also highly entertaining, as fascists go. However, I won't be convinced that he has finally stopped ruining the country I love, until he so sadly departs permanently and is enshrined somewhere. Thank you Ishihara-kun, for your contributions toward milking everyone's hard-earned taxes, and finally sayonara, one does so hope. What a blinking joke he was, with all due respect.
4
Simon Foston
Don't I? How did you work that out? Or is that just another one of your lazy, crass assumptions based on whatever you would like to think?
0
toshiko
Years ago, when he was with LDP. he was assigned to discussion meeting with top jscholors of japan in foreign countries. /Buhgei /shunju, Gendai, Shibchiu etc used to use him as L/DP spokesman, /So, he will get assignment from magazines, Unlike trher losers, he will not learn how low income lives in Japan. His Taiyo no Kisetsu is still selling well in Japan publisher stated.
0
Torakichi
Hooray for moderates!
-1
Serrano
"Notice that his hair is darker now than it was when he was governor..."
By golly, you're right! It's a miracle!
2
Christopher Glen
Not before time. Best news I've had today
-11
JoeBigs
And if you ask a Japanese citizen they will say he did a lot of good, but if you ask a Leftist non-Japanese they will scorn his name. Gee, I wonder which matters most for the Japanese?
He did what he did for the love of Japan, while others who rail against him do it for their Hate of Japan.
Ishihara was a patriot to his country the same as Reagan, Ike, Truman were to theirs.
0
Parsnipstuffing
As "toshiko" above so absolutely correctly stated, Mr "tenbatsu" Ishihara will still likely have the advantage of plenty of further opportunities to explain his unique "vision", courtesy of those who also pursue the same "advances", NHK, Dentsu, and other media hacks who would like to jump on the right-wing bandwagon and instill their "correct" agenda regarding the future of this nation, whilst whitewashing former atrocities. Such is life. You can't keep a good man down! Apathy rules, OK? Got my beer in the sideboard here, so to speak.
2
Darren White
Great news !
-10
tinawatanabe
Yes, guts and principle. There are many politicians and business people who want to kowtow to China even when they are not invited. Maybe they think they can increase their political assets by doing it.
-1
gokai_wo_maneku
Also, not to burst the buble, but he has two sons in the Diet. You never know what they might mutate into if they have the same genes. The other son is a harmless weatherman on TV. But you never know what he might mutate into if he has the same genes.
3
wtfjapan
19 seats reduced to 2, glad hes going out on a low, blinky bill was a hateful racist pathetic creature. lets hope his idelogy dies with him.
0
Qamar
This made my day!
1
JTDanMan
If you see either of those in Ishihara, you have a very low bar.
1
SaitamaRefugee
PM Abe just went to China in November. Are you calling him gutless and without principle? Hmmmmm....and I thought you were a true Japanese. 失望だな。笑
Furthermore, what sort of 'political asset' are you talking about? Although Japan is increasingly beginning to look like China under the Abe administration, China and Japan are two entirely separate countries....I will also add that while I do not like China's government, only a fool would ignore the potential of the Chinese market.
-5
nigelboy
Simple. He placed himself last in the proportional representation list of his own party on December 2nd which is in essence, a de facto retirement from politics. Only 17 seats allocated in this voting block in which he is a member of a minor party.
It was common knowledge among the Japanese public that he was going to retire then but as usual, Western media aren't informed enough to get a clue then.
0
SaitamaRefugee
Right, which was also why his party lost all but 2 seats. Here's a simpler answer- he is a fascist old man who fell out of favor with the electorate. Bye bye.
-5
nigelboy
No. It means that the only way for him to get re-elected was for his party to not only gain the most votes in the Tokyo block but to have a margin where ALL them would be voted in. NEVER happened in history of any party.
1
SaitamaRefugee
All of that explains why he wasn't reelected, but does nothing to explain why his party lost so badly. Bottom line, his party is old and stale. bye bye.
-4
nigelboy
That was my post all along. Do keep up.
1
Jeffrey Rolek
Never Again.
-1
NathalieB
Loving that his excuse for bombing so badly in the election was "the party name was wrong".
-2
Brian Wheway
I didn't realise there was so much dislike towards this guy, wow he must of really upset a lot of folks!
-5
toshiko
!@MODERATOR how come you allow gogogo's pornographic sign on picture all;; the time everywhere ?
-1
Reckless
50 years too late,,,
-2
Cynicarc
Ahh, no-wonder it was a bit chilly down here in Oz this morning...
-5
tinawatanabe
JTDanMan, You shouldn't see people by what they said, but what they did.
I'm not saying Ishihara was the best governor, but does not deserve the views here. He at least sent Tokyo fire fighters to Fukushima Plant to cool down the reactors, which might have saved Tokyo. At least, he accepted rubble from Fukushima other governors refused. At least he was concerned about dire situation of the previous owner of Senkaku who was very fearful by being approached by China with huge cash. At least he did not kowtow to China. At least he was elected 4 times. At least he was not afraid of many things even at his age.
He made many mistakes such as creating a failed Bank and lost lots of money, which I don't like the most about him. But still his intention was to save the small and midsize companies who could not borrow money from other banks.
But most of you criticizing him because of his stupid remarks and ignore good things he did because you are brainwashed by negative tone of English news about him.
-2
Christopher Glen
@tinawatanabe: Ah, so do they need your permission first?
2
lucabrasi
@Kajima
Yep, I'm prejudiced. I'm prejudiced against racist war-mongerers who claim to hate people they've never met.
I don't see a problem with that....
-6
tinawatanabe
lucab
I remember his remarks about women, French language, but I don't recall any war-mongering comments from him. It must be again from misleading English reportings. Tokyo public would never have elected him if he was really a war-mongerer. Do you think more than 10 Million Tokyo voters are war mongerers? Use your head.
2
mrsynik
Good riddance you xenophobic codger.
-2
toshiko
Once in a while he express a good decision. This is last one, I believe/ We will not hear his story now. Used to hear Ishihara bashe all over. Now we will hear Abe basher's gripimg. Hope his old connection publisher will encourage him to write nivels for older folks. But I suspect he will be assigned to politic review and critics.
1
Serrano
JoeBigs: "Ishihara was a patriot to his country the same as Reagan, Ike, Truman were to theirs."
You've got to be kidding.
-1
EthanWilber
Good bad and ugly, Ishihara is one of the most polarized political figures in Japan.
But, after this humiliated defeat, he is finished and obsolete, much like a Sony Walkman Player.
For people who are not aware, Ishihara's provocative ultra-nationalistic agenda backfired , which have not only caused concerns in Japan’s neighboring countries, in some ways, but led Japan’s inc. to lose billions and billons of dollars of business (such pain is still felt by many Japanese international business entities, the chance,for Japan to recouped those losses is next to none ).
When Abe attended G20 last Nov. he realized how isolate and irrelevant Japan has become on world stages only two years after 2012 incident.
In hindsight, Ishihara is a key figure who almost single handed accelerated Japan’s nemesis to have an excuse to spur a sudden rise in the region (that changed the dynimics and balance of regional power) and further pushed Japan onto a downward spiral that beyond a return point, somehow.
Hopefully, Japanese people and its politicians learned a painful lesson: ultra nationalism is dangerous and self-destructuve, it may sound patriotic, yet lttle meaning if any in the long run.
-1
Simon Foston
That's utterly moronic. Why didn't he just refrain from standing and let someone else run in his place so that people who wanted to support a candidate with views like his weren't wasting their votes?
-3
nigelboy
??? The so-called 'someone else' wouldn't be voted in either. Do you not understand" He placed himself last in the proportional representation list of his own party?"
0
Simon Foston
And didn't run in the single seat category. That does put a different perspective on things. Probably just as well for him that he did only put his name forward for a PR seat, the way things turned out for his party.
0
toshiko
A little while ago. he separated his Tokyi group and Hashimoto;s Ohsaka group. So they are not togther. I don't think he will be going to go on r=election. Sbout his hair, I beliebe all white now and he gets his hair dyed 4 or 5 times a year. He is one or two years older than Emperor. Compare their hairs.
2
Peter Payne
The man did more harm to his country than anyone in the last 50 years.
-6
tinawatanabe
Like what? How can just a governor do the most harm among some 120,000,000 people in 50 years? What are the things that 13,000,000 Tokyo voters do not notice, but only you and other posters notice?
0
toshiko
Not harm as he was Tokyo Governor for many years. He talked too much maybe, but he hasn't insulted older people or women like Aso has been famous for doing. Just voters in his ward changed their mind. Have you read his interview with sharo foreign Japan pickers /when he was young and LDP member? LDP, no one can debate so he was assigned and Japan's top opinion magazines refused other politicians. He is aged but I am sure he will be asked to give his reviews about politics in Japan by top magazines, He never did gossip talks that others did when Takeshita scandal made Takeshita resign,
1
Achernar
Good riddance to a revolting, racist bigot. Ifinever see your face again it will be too soon.
0
The_Harvest
A great man that never buckled under the pressure of political correctness.
-1
Simon Foston
So what "great" things did he do after entering politics, then?
-1
boweevil
What a nice note to end the year on. As far as him being politically active-it doesnt look like time is on his side.
-1
itsonlyrocknroll
Tokyo Gov Shintaro Ishihara, endowed with the delusion of grandure that fundamentally undermined an elected government.
A revolting caricature of the cardboard cutout racist, a singular ability to polarise the racial miscreant minority masquerading as a mandate for mayhem. His misogyny was matched only by his hatred of minorities. A giled grotesque hypocrite, scorned by a youth vote that saw right through the racist sinility he wollowed in.
1
MASSWIPE
Good riddance. I look at Ishihara and I see an obnoxious old Japanese man and child of privilege who probably bitterly regrets that he wasn't able to spend his youth in China or Korea strutting around like a peacock as a Japanese Colonial Officer a la some French or British colonial officer in 19th century India or Africa. Instead he had to remain in Japan and write novels and run for political office and often make a fool of himself.
-1
warausalesman
a patriarchic type of leader that made decisions from his gut without assessing the consequences professionally. this type of managing risk is what is destroying Japan from the inside. For every good guy you get 5 self serving pre bubble bigots destroying the good efforts. bye-bye and please don't come back, ishihara san
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