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JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

Noda, likening himself to loach fish, says charisma isn't everything

Politics Aug. 30, 2011 - 06:46AM JST ( 36 )

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36 Comments

2

SerranoAug. 30, 2011 - 07:17AM JST

"He proposed raising taxes rather than borrowing more money"

Would be better to cut unnecessary spending.

"charisma isn't everything"

Not true. Look at Obama, heh heh.
7

gaijinfoAug. 30, 2011 - 07:36AM JST

Great, a bottom feeding leach, er, loach for the PM. Nice.
3

YubaruAug. 30, 2011 - 07:40AM JST

Hey maybe it's time for a PM like him. He knows his limits, hopefully, and isn't afraid to butt heads to get his policies through. I would rather have a loach than an arrogant prima dona.
6

AsagaoAug. 30, 2011 - 07:41AM JST

So he says he is a boring dojyo...interesting. Ongoing nuclear disaster and he said he is pushing a snowball up the hill and it is getting bigger and heavier. Eventually the snowball will be too big and roll down the hill and splatter everyone. He says he is conservative, middle of the road. That means no change and no new ideas. Dojyo get eaten in nabes and snowmen melt. Sorry to the People of Tohoku, you deserve better...
2

fabricijAug. 30, 2011 - 08:18AM JST

More Blind Folded leadership... Its so Frustrating. Why not stand up make a national address, tell people what your policies are, what your 100 day agenda is. Tell people that YOUR accountable. Use thee fact that there will be an election in 12 months and no none is going to want 7th PM in 5 Years. Get on ya Bike champ and enough of the " Middle of the road " dribble, rolling out the same old policy rhetoric , US/YEN/China.....
0

fabricijAug. 30, 2011 - 08:19AM JST

More Blind Folded leadership... Its so Frustrating. Why not stand up make a national address, tell people what your policies are, what your 100 day agenda is. Commit to your people that YOUR accountable. Use thee fact that there will be an election in 12 months and no none is going to want 7th PM in 5 Years. Get on ya Bike champ and enough of the " Middle of the road " dribble, rolling out the same old policy rhetoric , US/YEN/China.....
1

oginomeAug. 30, 2011 - 08:22AM JST

Noda weeks ago angered Japan’s neighbors, especially South Korea, with comments defending class-A war criminals who are among dead soldiers honored at Tokyo’s Yasukuni shrine, a long-time flashpoint for East Asian relations.

So is he going to end up visiting Yasukuni then?
0

sf2kAug. 30, 2011 - 08:25AM JST

Japan’s next prime minister admits he is no Mr Charisma—Yoshihiko Noda likens himself to a marine bottom-feeder rather than a glittering goldfish. But that, he says, is his appeal.

Huh??? First day on the job and he's already labelled himself an idiot. Can't Japanese people just be happy with themselves and give it their all? Have a little confidence y'know? Be yourself.
2

GodanAug. 30, 2011 - 08:30AM JST

He freely admits he wants to raise taxes. If Mr. Noda, who is possibly the secret twin of 上島竜平 does nothing and says nothing, we may all be better off! How sad. Like others, I feel especially for the people who are waiting for help up in the Tohoku region.

BTW, how'd we go from "Yes, we Kan" to "I am a loach"?
3

yasukuniAug. 30, 2011 - 08:39AM JST

Give the guy a break. He's just being humble and preempting all the people who will say he doesn't "look like" a Prime Minister. If there were an election, he would lose, because people (esp SOME women - yeah I said it) would be swayed by looks and perceived charisma.

Bush at one time was popular but in the end was hated. Obama was the messiah, and now his ratings are down. Why don't we just stop attacking people from day one.

In the end, the Prime Minister isn't going to fix all the problems and make everyone happy, That's up to us. So, for those sitting in shelters up north, don't hold your breath waiting for Noda to fix up your life and then get even more depressed when he doesn't.

Hasn't even been officially sworn in and he's being criticized. Sounds like he's a ganbariya and didn't come from a rich background, so I like him already.

Give him a chance. Best thing is, he wasn't Ozawa's boy.
0

sfjp330Aug. 30, 2011 - 08:49AM JST

The reality is Japan is no longer competitive in trade and they will be similar to England in the future, a stagnent economy. It is a difficult time for Noda and J-goverment on solving the political and economic problems. With the recent disaster that Japan experienced, it exposed the problem of one central goverment making decisions. The J-goverment needs to diversify their operations to meed people's needs. The increase in sales tax is imminent. Japan should expect much more confrontation in the Sea of Japan and near Senkaku area. If the agressive confrontation in the open waters continues with China, Japan might have to operate differently from the previous peaceful engagement. Japan might have to invest billions into latest stategic defense and offensive weapons to counter with the long term problems of neighboring countries and use this as leverage on any negotiations. Noda might have to approach Japan's defense policy differently from the previous PM.
0

tmarieAug. 30, 2011 - 09:15AM JST

BBC is reporting this and having a bit of a laugh at it comparisons. BBC doesn't seem positive about him or his chances of sticking around. No surprised. Six in five years. Hang your head in shame Japan.
0

JapanGalAug. 30, 2011 - 09:19AM JST

Noda must start picking candidates for his new ministerial line-up

Wrong! Ozawa will pick them.
-1

kansaifunAug. 30, 2011 - 09:30AM JST

Great... Just great..... A roach at the top of the political world.

I give him 10 months before he becomes a lame duck....

Just what Japan need..!
-1

tmarieAug. 30, 2011 - 09:35AM JST

10 months?? Rather kind. I give him less than six.
2

globalwatcherAug. 30, 2011 - 09:45AM JST

Folks, please give him a break. He is just starting a very challenging job as a PM.

He was not my choice, but he is a new PM of Japan. Now, I am here to support him.

"Congratulations Mr. Noda. I believe in you that you will try to do with the best of your ability to restore Japan".

Pray for Japan
1

illsayitAug. 30, 2011 - 09:51AM JST

I like Noda-his cliches on concrete were great for the last elections. Much preferred him to Hatoyama then, and am glad he got in now. Sucked-in Ozawa. :P
0

oginomeAug. 30, 2011 - 09:53AM JST

The reality is Japan is no longer competitive in trade

I don't get this. Japan's trade surplus is still gargantuan.
0

ApsaraAug. 30, 2011 - 10:00AM JST

A roach at the top of the political world.

He said a loach, not a roach, and it wasn't a spelling mistake- unless yours was? They are different animals.
0

oginomeAug. 30, 2011 - 10:06AM JST

BBC is reporting this and having a bit of a laugh at it comparisons. BBC doesn't seem positive about him or his chances of sticking around. No surprised. Six in five years. Hang your head in shame Japan.

I thought the BBC was supposed to present news in an objective manner? That's very unprofessional behaviour. I suppose nothing beats laughing at another country to take your mind off your own country's massive problems.
2

Nicky WashidaAug. 30, 2011 - 10:06AM JST

Im with Yasukuni and Globalwatcher on this one. Ok, so he is not the kind of prime minister I could imagine sleeping with(!) but I like his humility, I like that he hasnt come from a silver spoon background and is more in touch with the people, and I ESPECIALLY like that he wasnt Ozawa`s choice. And I think he is being a bit harsh on himself!

Before we (and he!) start comparing him to various forms of pond life, perhaps we should give him a few months and see what he can do?

I wish him all the best as he starts his term in office. He is going to need all the support he can get and I for one dont want him to be starting out in negative territory and making the job of pulling the country up even harder than it already is.
1

pamelotAug. 30, 2011 - 10:14AM JST

The face for radio who wants to raise taxes...

Charisma is not on the table, dude.
0

papasmurfinjapanAug. 30, 2011 - 10:20AM JST

Hmm, "loach fish" eh...

Better than "cold pizza" Obuchi I guess... does anyone remember him?
1

marcelitoAug. 30, 2011 - 11:16AM JST

Its OK not to ooze tons of charisma ( but it helps to have it ) and nothing wrong with being humble and self - depreciating... Even though I don,t have high hopes of him I,d also give him the benefit of a doubt for a few weeks / months first.... Only wish the LDP silver spoon clowns could bring themselves to do the same instead of calling for a snap election before the guy has even had a chance to move into his office and do anything. Didn,t LDP promise to co-operate with the government if Kan left? Wasn,t that their whole point? So much for that.... I think the LDP leadership are the real bottom feeding loaches here...give Noda a little break..
0

JapanGalAug. 30, 2011 - 11:41AM JST

Obuchi died in office.

I hope Noda does not. Good luck, and thanks for not being rich like all of the others.
-1

zurcroniumAug. 30, 2011 - 11:49AM JST

He can take personality lessons from Mori, now he was a roach in loach's clothing.
1

yasukuniAug. 30, 2011 - 11:56AM JST

"Didn,t LDP promise to co-operate with the government if Kan left? Wasn,t that their whole point? "

Well said. They need to be reminded of that everyday from now on.
0

papasmurfinjapanAug. 30, 2011 - 12:07PM JST

Good luck, and thanks for not being rich like all of the others

He is a career politician, so I'm quite sure he is financially better off than the average Taro. Compared to some other politicians though I suppose he can say he "do not have large financial resources" with a straight face.

I don't want Noda to die in office, of course, was just comparing nicknames. : )
0

smithinjapanAug. 30, 2011 - 01:03PM JST

I'm all for being humble, but the guy can't tell us what his appeal is -- WE can tell him, if there's any that is.
0

Bartholomew HarteAug. 30, 2011 - 01:30PM JST

I would only hope his self affaceing personality works out -humility can work but right now i'd like some wit & wisdom!
0

just-a-guyAug. 30, 2011 - 07:14PM JST

I think Mr Ozawa keep 'loach fish' in his aqurium as 'pet'!
0

patty cake championAug. 30, 2011 - 08:04PM JST

Based on the fact that no politician has been charged for conspiring to wage against Iraq, it's safe to say that the global opinion against Class-A war criminal offenses have changed to the extent, it's no longer relevant.
0

YubaruAug. 30, 2011 - 08:47PM JST

From a parent of an AmeriAsian child, Obuchi was a great PM, better by far than any after him with the exception maybe of Koizumi. The rest....who even remembers...except the otaku on quiz shows.
0

just-a-guyAug. 30, 2011 - 11:52PM JST

Nobody in this world is listening to what the Japanese PM says anyway,nobody will takes his remarks seriously! And nobody wants to know how the present Japanese PM political vision or leadership of Japan! Because there will be another person to take over his job within 12 months more or less in average!
0

oginomeAug. 31, 2011 - 02:14AM JST

Is anyone in charge of anything in Japan? Noda seems ok, but he's hust like another cog in the system. The Prime Minister of Japan always comes across as the CEO of the LDP/DPJ/whichever party is in power.
-1

OracleAug. 31, 2011 - 10:52AM JST

sf2kAug. 30, 2011 - 08:25AM JST

Huh??? First day on the job and he's already labelled himself an idiot.

Bottom feeding fish have survived, are plentiful, and they provide a useful service. That is not idiocy.