The romance of a revolution gets passed down through generations, but the truth is that right after a revolution, the people live in misery. I studied revolutions in my youth and found that while the romance lingered, the effects on society were tragic. That's the real legacy of a revolution.
It's natural for many people to want political change. The new administration will start out by issuing its manifesto. At the heart of that manifesto is the idea that the bureaucratic institutions in Kasumigaseki should be dismantled.
Former bureaucrats appearing in the media talk of the Kasumigaseki bureaucracy as the root of all evil. The heavy criticism has an influence on a wide swath of the public. But the remarks of the former bureaucrats are not fair. It's as if the media has found some former bureaucrats to do its bidding and speak poorly of current bureaucrats. It's difficult to watch these old boys pour abuse on their former home.
Actively serving bureaucrats have been silent. They endure the slander without response. The argument that Kasumigaseki is the root of all evil does not even garner a reply. But the media's attacks on the bureaucracy go too far. We need a fair analysis.
The new administration should heed this quote from Shakespeare: "To climb steep hills requires slow pace at first."
And to the departing Liberal Democrats I say, "It's never too late to mend." The important thing is to reflect on what went wrong and try again.
Finally, to the new administration: Let modesty be your guide.
The author of Curing Japan's America Addiction (Chin Music Press) offers insight and commentary from Tokyo.
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