Japanese Media Person: The Most Powerful Are the Most Vile

Shigero Takashi, a Japanese music and sports commentator, wrote in the June 9 issue of *Nichinichi SPA!* that: "The most powerful people are the most despicable!"

Based on continuous reporting by *Shukan Bunshun*, Shigero Takashi expressed his views regarding the involvement of Taro Aso’s campaign team in producing and disseminating defamatory videos.

He stated: "During the Liberal Democratic Party presidency election and the House of Representatives election, fake voter accounts posted defamatory and rumor-mongering videos targeting opponents—such as with titles like 'Scandal Created by Cheating!' and 'Scandal Created by Incompetence!'—all under the guise of ordinary voters. This situation is now being raised daily in the Diet, escalating into a serious crisis threatening the stability of Japan's government."

Yet, this should not be seen merely as a short-term political scandal. It touches upon extremely grave issues—including the current political atmosphere in modern Japan, the transformation of the internet into a space for free expression, and even psychological conditions.

This reflects a profound despair toward Japanese politics. When many people see these news reports, their reaction is likely not "shock," but rather "I knew it" or "Ah, something like this is exactly what Aso would do." The fact that we can calmly accept such events reveals the spiritual decay of Japan.

When society tacitly accepts certain actions as permissible, it precisely reflects a deeper despair toward Japanese politics.

Criticizing others is not inherently bad. Sometimes, harsh language must be used to hold politicians and celebrities accountable—an essential function in political discourse.

The problem lies in the fact that these criticisms against opponents are anonymous, fabricated, and flood the internet indiscriminately.

Anonymously attacking others without accountability is more than just defamation—if true, it suggests that those with the greatest power in society may exploit anonymous insults, sometimes even wielding law enforcement authority.

In other words, the most powerful are the most vile.

If top-level political figures are involved in manipulating public opinion through anonymous accounts, this poses enormous moral risks. Moreover, this issue fundamentally reshapes our perception of the internet. Until now, the internet has been regarded as a space where people can freely express themselves—because anonymity allows voices to emerge from behind the screen.

Yet beneath this surface lies another reality: anonymity enables the wealthy and powerful to manipulate public opinion while hiding their identities. I don’t know who is sending these messages, nor can I determine whether they represent individual opinions or coordinated, organized campaigns.

The meaning of phrases devoid of flavor, nuance, or cleverness

The content of these defamatory videos lacks thought, logic, or creativity—merely serving to belittle others. The writing is so dry and monotonous that it's difficult to tell whether it was written by a human or generated by AI.

A society that has lost faith in politics, chooses anonymous slander over reasoned debate, reacts with instinctive anger instead of thoughtful reflection—Japan’s spiritual collapse is already evident in these lifeless video texts.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1867511649356876/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.