Young people, rise and show you care! [2011年08月22日(Mon)]
The Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia mobilized like-minded people through young people communicating via the Internet. (Photograph reproduced from Wikipedia) Young people, rise and show you care! Sankei Shimbun, morning edition, Tokyo July 13, 2011 On June 9, I wrote an open letter, “Politicians, straighten up!” to the Sankei Shimbun. Among the many who responded were heads of municipalities around the country. The sympathy and support that most expressed made me realize the extent of the sense of crisis and rising discontent toward the present political situation. Alarming state of the lack of successors For the past 65 years since the end of the war, Japan has avoided facing crucial issues—the constitution, national security and education that form the foundation of the state. Accordingly, we have allowed ourselves to downplay politics, and we as voters and the media have not paid attention to nurturing political leaders. The result is that today while the prime minister expresses his wish to resign there is no successor. Politics has now been reduced to populism and handing out attractive promises. As a result, the outstanding public debt has risen to nearly 900 trillion yen, with the nation on the verge of bankruptcy. While our sense of responsibility and obligation diminish, we have allowed our demand for rights to balloon, encouraging an ambiance of irresponsibility. Excessive egalitarianism in education is resulting in a loss of individuality. As a member of the generation responsible for creating the society we have today, I take the blame for my own inadequacy and feel I must contribute even in a small way to changing the situation for the better. Having said this, it will fall mainly on those who are young today to bear the burden. In fact, in every period it has been the young who changed our society. Unless you young men and women stand up, things will not change. Some of us criticize young people for looking inward and for being apathetic, and scorn boys who dye their hair and wear earrings. I am not one of them. Animated films and fashions created by young people are attracting the attention of markets around the world, and our young athletes are proving their strength in world-class events. Today’s youth have the talent and are full of eagerness to excel. Let’s let in fresh air to our stagnant society Almost every weekend since mid April, the Nippon Foundation has been sending teams of 100 mainly student volunteers in shifts of three nights and four days to disaster-ridden areas. In one such group was the head of a fire station in Tokyo who joined as a private individual. At one of the meetings that took place at the Blue Sea and Green Land Ocean Center in Osato Town in Miyagi Prefecture where the team stayed he observed, after listening to the passionate discussion of the youngsters, “We adults say our young people are no good. The only trouble is that we are not focusing on their good qualities. Compared to the political situation we have today, the future these students will be building will be much brighter. Japan will be rebuilt.” I agree with him. I cannot help asking why the young people are not protesting against the poverty of our political leadership. This country has enough strength to rebuild after the great disaster that hit the north east coast. It is considered a major national crisis, but our politicians are unable to work together to harness the powers they have. That is where the problem lies. While Japan stagnates and muddles through, the world is outpacing us. If we allow political confusion to continue, this country will cease to be a meaningful member of the global community and become increasingly irrelevant. It is you, our young men and women, who must bring fresh air into our stagnant society. The popular movement called the Arab Spring that was triggered by the Jasmine revolution in Tunisia was propelled and coordinated by the young sharing information on Twitter and Facebook. Youths in the U.K. and the Republic of Korea are protesting passionately against the rise in tuition and the difficulty of finding jobs. In Greece and Spain struggling with financial crisis they are increasingly critical of their governments. I am not for encouraging students to riot, but in the 1960s and 70s it was the student movement that led our society. I urge our young people today to hoist the flag of reform. You must not be apathetic. It is your right as well as your obligation to change society. Saying no to ‘dole-out politics’ will have the greatest impact coming from the generation that will be saddled with the debt. As time relentlessly passes and we don’t even begin to see a blueprint for post-disaster reconstruction, a bright future can only be hoped for when young people stand up in support of the stricken communities that are doubly burdened with aging and depopulation. Be the strong grass that weathers the harsh wind The real mission of the politician is to share his conviction with voters. Without security no nation can exist. Politicians must therefore ask people to bear the burden when necessary. Having avoided grappling with central problems, our society has lost a sense of tension and politics has deteriorated perilously. It is the role of the young to change this. It is wrong to think that politics will change nothing. The time has come for you to realize that the responsibility rests on your shoulders. This is no time to be apathetic. Young friends, let us raise our voice and act. We must change the adult society that has so far not given you opportunity for social participation. We must put an end to politics that focuses on a perpetual inward-looking power struggle while neglecting reconstruction in the devastated area. We must no longer be content with third class politics. We must not allow ourselves even for a day to be left behind in the global world. There is a saying, “When a fierce wind blows, the strong grass will stand." It is you the young people who must be the strong grass that will withstand the fierce wind, including the recent disaster and all the other challenges that this country faces. The discontent and uncertainty of the people as a result of today’s politics have reached a critical level. We must put an end to politics that will only make us a laughing stock of the world. Now is the time for you young people to lead. (Yohei Sasakawa) |