Can't someone take this old fraud and put him out to pasture. Sick of this momma's boy and his antics.

As a former prime minister ...

felled by charges of incompetence and failure to keep a campaign promise

Those two phrases just about sum up Hatoyama's political career! Once a loser, always a loser!

Can you "trust" him?

Makes you wonder who is paying the protestors?

oh please, Hatoyama? What has Japan's worst Prime Minister got to say? Other than trying to ingratiate himself with the crowds in the vain hope that he will not be tossed out at the next election?

Hahahaha!!! While part of me is glad he went out, I just have to laugh at the comments about voices not being heard. Does he think he was any different? Did the cops treat him better than the other protesters?? Any pictures of this?

Yuri, the people I know aren't getting paid. Though i am sure they'd be happy to take money for doing something they believe in.

Didn't this guy run with the tail between his legs? What is he still doing around?

tmarie, looks like they need jobs :p

Mr. Birdbrain doing anything he can to get attention. Too bad nobody takes him seriously.

Hatoyama, my man, you're a bit late in joining the action. A few decades late, I'd say.

Looks like a strategy is unfolding, with Hatoyama soon to bolt after drawing as much attention to himself as a politician standing with the people against the establishment. A largely symbolic gesture, no doubt, but at least Hatoyama has appeared to be sincere in trying to accomplish his goals, even if they were somewhat unrealistic and he seemed a bit inept at moments.

After he bolts the DJP and launches another fledgling party later to merge with Ozawa's new fledgling party, and then they will make a party (with a real name!) large enough to be a force that may be capable of countering the LDP in the election.

Such a party would likely gain a number of defectors from the disintegrating DJP.

Hatoyama, the guy that pushed aside the US for closer relations with China. What planet is he really from? No nuclear power = expensive imports of oil, gas, and other hydrocarbons. Can Japan afford this? For the citizens that protest nuclear power, do they offer any real solutions? Alternative energy is not ready to support Japan's high demand for energy. As much as the debate rages these days on Japan's decline, it's amazing to see the people that gripe about it are actually the ones contributing to it.

...Yukio Hatoyama joined a boisterous anti-nuclear demonstration outside his old office and residence on Friday...

LOL. I don't think he was in office long enough to be able to have even claimed it as a permanent legal residence...

tmarie, looks like they need jobs :p

Um, you mean all those people that head out AFTER work to demand the government of a "democracy" listen to their opinion? You seem to spend a lot of time on here. Perhaps YOU are the one in need of a job?

Makes you wonder who is paying the protestors?

Ridiculous comment - although from that right-wing extremist poster not surprised. So - all the thousands of mums and dads we are seeing on TV voicing their concerns (for the first time in Japanese history) about the future for their kids are "being paid"? Pull your head in and let the Japanese protest in a democratic way however they please without snide remarks.

First time that I have seen someone try to stop unnecessary snide remarks placed in these forums.

Thanks.., I thought I was the only one, concerned about such remarks being allowed here.

Opinions are fine, but personal epitaphs are not really productive or meaningful in any discussion.

What in the world is a former PM doing by taking part in a demo??? Must be doing the biddings of Ozawa 'cause I can't think of any reason a former PM, regardless of how much he opposes the current PM, takes part in a demo. It's Ozawa or a visit by the aliens in a UFO.

" who is paying the protesters"? What are you on about Yuri- do you say the same about anti base protesters in Okinawa? Why degrade people who are being vocal about a cause they strongly believe in? Btw - I saw heaps of people dressed in in business outfits who joined the protests after they finished work on Friday- so you are way off with your comment.

YuriOtani - a friend of mine goes out on these protests after a hard day's work, and spends her free time exercising her democratic rights when she could be, erm, what - shopping? going to the nail salon? singing in karaoke?

One more illustration of just how big a train wreck the DPJ has become. It takes some real talent to make LDP look like a better option.

Hatoyama is just trying to get kicked out of the DPJ - Kan proposing an anti nuclear power bill on the weekend (ending nuclear power by 2025) will probably land him in some hot water too, given how pro-nuclear Noda is.

Still amazes me that Kan endorsed Noda to succeed him. Must be fun for the dissenters in the DPJ and defectors to be actually opposing LDP policies again.

There are some points that I think are relevant. One, the anti nuclear demo is not making headlines in the Japanese papers. Maybe it will now. Two, hatoyama's presence may encourage others to participate. three, there are alternative power sources in Japan such as geothermal power that could be used instead of nuclear power. Four, Hatoyama's presence may be a political ploy but he could be sincere. I prefer to be an optimist.

kwbrow2Jul. 23, 2012 - 03:10PM JST

there are alternative power sources in Japan such as geothermal power that could be used instead of nuclear power.

Yes, it's called coal and other fossil fuels, and they shot up from 60% of total energy production to 85% production. These protestors don't understand that every nuclear plant that goes down brings three or more coal plants up, and each one of those has the potential to kill as many people each year as fukushima ever will.

Hatoyama presided over the idea to ramp up nuclear to 50% and now he flip-flops for political gain. He's just trying to make everyone forget when he ignored the people and canceled the Futenma relocation project.

Hatoyama presided over the idea to ramp up nuclear to 50% and now he flip-flops for political gain. He's just trying to make everyone forget when he ignored the people and canceled the Futenma relocation project.

Pretty much everyone flip-flopped because they all bought in the "safety myth".

@Yuri and Burakumin - The conspiracy theory in me wonders if TEPCO doesn't have a hand in gettting these protestors out onto the streets. Note that the protestors' main plank seems to be that nuclear power itself is more dangerous than other forms of power and needs to be stopped, despite the fact that other countries such as France, Switzerland, and Sweden have exemplary safety records and have seen their GDPs and air quality soar thanks to cheap and safe power. The difference is that their nuclear plants aren't run in a slipshod manner by corrupt amakudari who cover up safety problems and lie to stockholders.

TEPCO stands to benefit from overstating the inherent risks of nuclear power (which, it must be noted, are not negligible), because it absolves them from their malfeasance and lulls Taro Q. Average into thinking that the accident was somehow inevitable and that TEPCO is in fact a victim of overzealous media. And if TEPCO is in charge of producing energy from other sources, they've still got the all-important monopoly on provigind power to the public.

Protestors, don't blame nuclear power as a whole. Drop the "no nukes" slogan, which unfairly maligns power companies who can successfully navigate a dangerous industry, and put the blame for the Fukushima situation where it really belongs: squarely on TEPCO's shoulders.

Thomas AndersonJul. 24, 2012 - 08:11PM JST

Pretty much everyone flip-flopped because they all bought in the "safety myth".

Hatoyama was an industrial engineer, he likely knew exactly what was going on without buying into anything. Rather, he probably fully understood the risks and believed the benefits far outweighed the risks. This is no doubt a political ploy with absolutely no basis in his own thoughts on the matter.

ThonTaddeoJul. 24, 2012 - 09:40PM JST

put the blame for the Fukushima situation where it really belongs: squarely on TEPCO's shoulders.

And the government for ignoring safety, and all the citizens outside Noda's place for deliberate ignorance. TEPCO released publications on all upgrade work done at the plants (for financial statements), and IAEA always releases it's recommendations as well. If neither the government nor the people caught that TEPCO was dragging their feet, they need to accept their role in the problem. After all, ignorance is not an excuse.

That's not to say that TEPCO didn't screw up multiple times mind you, simply that the government and citizens also share responsibility in the failures.

basroil

Hatoyama was an industrial engineer, he likely knew exactly what was going on without buying into anything. Rather, he probably fully understood the risks and believed the benefits far outweighed the risks. This is no doubt a political ploy with absolutely no basis in his own thoughts on the matter.

Even many engineers and scientists believed in the "safety myth" or they didn't think that a severe accident would occur in an advanced nation. But they changed their minds after Fukushima. Perhaps Merkel is one of them.

Thomas AndersonJul. 25, 2012 - 11:56AM JST

Even many engineers and scientists believed in the "safety myth" or they didn't think that a severe accident would occur in an advanced nation. But they changed their minds after Fukushima. Perhaps Merkel is one of them.

If there was any issues, it was with the seismologists and ocean experts. According to the specifications they were given (maximum quake, maximum water level, etc), there was no "safety myth". It was considered safe based on the information they had, and thus, if any information was ignored or not passed on, it was due to weighing benefits and risks (can't tell you how they weighted them though, could have been using meters and inches for all we know). The government has always had a duty to ensure safety, so if they want to attack anyone they better start with themselves.

Merkel has always been anti-nuclear, probably because she hated the fact Germany's electrical costs were several times that of nuclear heavy France.

Merkel has always been anti-nuclear, probably because she hated the fact Germany's electrical costs were several times that of nuclear heavy France.

Umm, I doubt that. She was pro-nuclear before Fukushima.