conversation in English

俺：Noriko Ishigaki from Rikken Minshu accused PM Kishida, who had just been to Ukraine, of his giving Syamoji engraved "victory" to Ukraine as inappropriate. Extremely absurd. ジョンさん：Every trip political leaders take abroad is largely for domestic political underlying reasons. Western leaders go to Ukraine to win domestic political points. Kishida seems no different. If that is Noriko Chan’s objection to his visit, she has a point. He seems to be posturing politically by giving an engraved rice spoon to Zelensky.This seems an especially inappropriate gesture since Tokyo hadn’t given Ukraine any military supplies had it??If Japan were sending weapons I would understand the gesture. But it would still be political grandstanding. 俺：Noriko Ishigaki’s absurdity lies in that she accused PM Kishida not of his visit to Ukraine itself but the engraved letter “victory”. She claimed Japan shall aim at a peaceful resolution.She argues "victory" sounds aggressive. ジョンさん：She is from the Left so it is consistent with her political views to want a peaceful resolution. That’s what she should say isn’t it?She is not being hypocritical.On the other hand, since Japan isn’t doing anything of a military nature to help Ukraine, isn’t it hypocritical fir your friend Kishida to pretend to be a military contributor with a term such as “victory?”He made a major gaffe in my opinion. He is pretending to be a military leader to placate the extreme Right of LDP.He appears to be trying to make political points only.Even Biden doesn’t talk of “victory” when he visits Ukraine. Kishida is merely talking tough for Japanese right wing supporters who want to change the Constitution and send troops abroad.Anyway, you like Kishida so you want to see good in his actions. But as an outsider, I see his “victory” posturing as a mere political gesture designed to garner right wing LDP support. He wants to placate the anti-Russian Jiminto hard liners. 俺：Hiroshima' souvenir big syamoji without "victory" is nothing but big useless syamoji. Noriko Ishigaki just made hard effort to find fault with PM Kishida.The domestic political situation, Sanae Takaichi is in the center of turmoil concerning the past pledged utterance during Abe regime, in which she tried to modify the interpretation of the broadcasting law into the more strict regulation to TVs.Japanese Uyoku is far weaker than used to be. Their foremost concern is if PM Kishida continues Abenomics (if it is ostensible) , so they never care if the souvenir had a word such as victory or not.For Japanese Uyoku, Takaichi is almost the last fortress. ジョンさん：It is still a completely empty political gesture. It doesn’t help Japan at all and makes Kishida look like Biden’s puppet. Tokyo appears unable or unwilling to have an independent foreign policy. Japan looks like an American colony.If Kishida had guts he would go to Taiwan or Seoul and say “victory”. That would have real meaning. That would cement Japan’s role as a regional power and true partner with Korea and Taiwan.Going to Ukraine only pushes China and Russia closer together and does not benefit Japan, Korea or Taiwan. 俺：Indeed. But I don't believe Abe or any other statesman could have done better.After all, Japan benefits from keeping an ally of US both security and economy.Japan learned the lesson that Japan might as well be a Herod as a Zealot.