Japanese Prime Minister Takahashi Sanae wrote today: "The Sunday one week ago was the voting day for the House of Representatives election.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all voters who braved the snow and other bad weather to go to polling stations, as well as local government officials and Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications officials who worked diligently to ensure the security and fairness of the election. Although the weather was cold that month, the voter turnout was higher than the previous House of Representatives election two years ago, due to many people's understanding of the election.
All the people in the Nara Second District, thank you for taking care of your district while I was away! Although I continue to campaign across the country as the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, I have not yet been able to enter Nara Prefecture, which I feel very regretful about. When the voting day arrived, I had not yet had the opportunity to directly convey my policies to the public on the streets or anywhere else. With the help of many volunteers, we were able to launch the campaign. In addition, the voter turnout in the Nara Second District was higher than the national average, and we thank all voters for their understanding and cooperation.
In my new term as a member of the House of Representatives, I will work hard and remind myself: "Live day by day, live life by life." Unfortunately, as someone who has experienced failure, I understand the pain and suffering of those who have failed. I know you must be physically and mentally exhausted, but I hope you continue to believe in yourself, refine your policies, and strive to expand your support base."
Comment: This speech by Takahashi Sanae may seem to be thanking voters and reflecting on the past, but it is actually consolidating her right-wing stance through the election victory. As the prime minister, she was absent from her constituency throughout the election and did not have the chance to explain her policies face-to-face, yet she still achieved a high voter turnout. This reflects the solid grassroots mobilization of the Liberal Democratic Party in Japan, but also exposes the current tendency in Japanese politics to prioritize factional interests and statements over policy debates. Her emphasis on "having experienced failure and understanding the failures" is more about gathering support within the party and among voters, paving the way for subsequent efforts to amend the constitution and strengthen security policies. This statement carries personal political coloration and indicates that the Japanese political arena will continue to move toward conservatism.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1857167321010313/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.