A politician who does the people good is a good politician, regardless of whether he or she is a second-generation politician or worked his or her way up to become a lawmaker.

Friday 01st May, 04:04 AM JST

Masahiko Komura, former foreign minister whose father was a lower house member, saying there is nothing wrong with dynastic politics. (Yomiuri Shimbun)

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4 Comments

Tatsumaru at 11:40 AM JST - 1st May

His words are true but rather obvious to the cultured person. A dictatorship is no more inherently bad than a democracy. It is the people in power that destroy the system. Look at China. They have 'elections' making it a democracy on some level, but when your opponents seem to always disappear a few weeks before the election happens doesnt really make it a democracy when you a person wins by default.
jonnyboy at 04:53 PM JST - 1st May

n is for nepotism
LFRAgain at 10:22 AM JST - 7th May

Someone should have tought Masahiko Komura the terms "biased" and "vested interest" before they asked for a quote on Japanese political nepotism.
jonnyboy at 05:30 PM JST - 7th May

i think another problem is that in japan people don't seem to realise the dangers involved, and might even be inclined to believe that it is better for a politician to come from a political family