Abe’s intention that the prompter didn’t know … Japanese ‘Hone-ne’ culture hidden inside

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe officially expressed his appreciation at a press conference held at the Prime Minister’s residence on the afternoon of the 28th. [연합뉴스]

It is common to understand the difference between ‘datemae’ (outer appearance) and ‘honor’ (inner) to understand Japanese culture. It means you shouldn’t be guessing Hone from seeing the Datemae you take to smooth the relationship.

This press conference of the resignation of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was an opportunity to glimpse the Japanese culture that thoroughly concealed the ‘honor’ until the end. It is an atmosphere in which close associates never noticed their intentions until they announced their intention to resign at a press conference.

Secretary of State Yoshihide Suga, whom he refers to as the next influential prime minister, conducted interviews with Western media such as Bloomberg until the day before the press conference, in particular to bring up the prime minister’s “ health anomaly ”. Abe. He stressed that “I meet Prime Minister Abe twice a day” and said: “There are no special details and I think I will finish my term.” Even three hours before Prime Minister Abe’s press conference, he said at a regular press conference for his country’s media: “I see (the prime minister) every day, but nothing has changed.”

Japanese Secretary of State Yoshihide Suga is holding a press conference on the announcement of the appointment of Abe’s cabinet ministers on October 2, 2018. [사진제공=지지통신]

Most of Prime Minister Abe’s close friends seem to have heard of his resignation first through the media. Hagiuda Koichi, one of Prime Minister Abe’s aides, expressed regret in an interview with NHK on the premise that “if the report is true” following a report on his intention to resign before the press conference.

Yastoshi Nishimura (西村 康 稔), the head of economic regeneration, said, “I have not been able to imagine my work as usual in recent days.” Liberal Democratic Party Acting Secretary Tomomi Inada, who served as Defense Minister and Chairman Jeongjo of the Liberal Democratic Party in Abe’s cabinet, also expressed his embarrassment via the media, saying: “It’s too sudden.” .

Prime Minister Abe received medical treatment at Keio University Hospital twice this month. The first visit on the 17th was a medical checkup and the return on the 24th was a visit based on the results of the previous checkup. Prime Minister Abe told a press conference that he had decided to forgo the second day of treatment. At the same time, he explained that the resignation was “I judged myself.”

Even in a meeting with journalists on the 24th when Prime Minister Abe had confirmed his intention to resign, he said: “I will do everything possible to control my physical condition” and “I want to work hard again in the future.” The day he decided to quit, he managed to handle ‘datemae’ while hiding ‘honne’.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe drives a car after finishing his hair at a hair salon in Tokyo on the 23rd. [연합뉴스]

According to the Asahi newspaper, the Yomiuri newspaper and the Tokyo newspaper, Prime Minister Abe has received no calls since the night of the 27th and has not contacted anyone. It seems like it was Hone-ne’s moment when Prime Minister Abe cut off contact with him the day before the press conference and entered his own time alone. Even at that time, Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso and the Finance Minister, closest to Prime Minister Abe, predicted at a dinner with a faction executive that “the prime minister has recovered, so he will not resign.”

Prime Minister Abe said he was especially cautious when consulting with Deputy Prime Minister Aso on the residency issue. Only on the day of the press conference, after the ministerial meeting, did he speak alone with Deputy Prime Minister Aso and showed Hone. The deputy prime minister held back here, but his determination was already firm. Around Prime Minister Abe, he voiced the view that he seemed suspicious that his resolve would be undermined by heavy pressure if he consulted with Aso in advance. Prime Minister Abe told Deputy Prime Minister Aso the reasons for his resignation, citing reasons such as the lack of amendment to the constitution as well as health problems.

The distress period is estimated to be approximately one month. At a press conference, Prime Minister Abe said: “I don’t think there is a conflict in my mind that I could do it a little bit more.” Depending on the environment, signs of health problems have been recorded since last month, and at the Prime Minister’s residence he began to go home without eating, which he used to share with employees.

Prime Minister Abe also went to work the morning of the day he resigned and attended discussions on the response to the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19). There is no difference from the usual, so Secretary Suga said at a press conference that it is “the same as always.” Only in the afternoon did he announce his intention to resign PLD officials and attended a press conference without a prompter.

Reporter Jeong Eun-hye [email protected]