Description
Book SynopsisThis book focuses on the rhetoric used by members of the political elite and the news media in Japan as the core of political dynamics in this country. Based on the notion that political society is formed by language, and that in a broad sense the essence of politics is talk, this book examines the multifarious aspects of political discourse in Japan. The author investigates how political rhetoric varies according to the circumstances and intended visibility of events; the structure and focus of political news; the language and methods of information sources to disseminate information; and the tone of language used by Diet members and officials to shape the country's political culture.
Trade Review"Feldman remains a top-notch analyst ...Talking Politics in Japan Today is a useful book for those who are already very familiar with Japanese media and politics, and provides lots of interesting historical data and a few original observations... it will be of great interest to those seeking to further understand how, if not why, Japanese press and politicians speak at, rather than to, the public." -- Eric Johnston, The Japan Times.
"This book is essential reading for all students of Japanese and comparative politics, mass media and politics, non-verbal communication, and persuasive communication." -- Takashi Inoguchi, Ph.D. Professor of Political Science, University of Tokyo Executive Editor, Japanese Journal of Political Science (CUP).
"Feldman's astute analysis of the link between Japanese politics and political discourse reflects Japan's current transitional climate under Junichiro Koizumi. This has affected not only the structure and function of political institutions but also the way Japanese politicians and government officials communicate about political matters - Feldman contends that political communicators significantly affect public attitudes and that their words are powerful tools for rousing citizens' emotions. Interestingly, coalition politics, introduced to Japan in 1993 with the fall of the LDP, have brought a greater pluralism of views on policy issues and the national political agenda. This change has reduced the authority of a few elite leaders and folded more political groups and individuals into the political process, redirecting reporters' attention to new, more diverse sources. The weakening of the LDP factions through political reform also has affected Japan's political journalism, as has the January 2001 reorganization of the central government's ministries and agencies. Even the prime minister himself has had a hand in changing the information flow in Japan by encouraging more public dialogue, giving daily press briefings, and being generally more accessible than any of his predecessors. Recommended." - Choice.
Table of ContentsIntroduction: Discourse and the Conventional Wisdom of Japanese Politics; The Nagatacho Beat: Writing with Wolves; Beat Reporting and the Search for Information; Two Sides of the Political Coin: Facade and Substance in Public Talk; "Yes, But . . . Well . . . Maybe . . . They Say So . . .": Analysis of Replies during Televised Political Interviews; Metaphorically Speaking I: Political Processes on the Front and Back of the Stage; Metaphorically Speaking II: Political Roles on the Front and Back of the Stage; Lampooned Prime Ministers: The Implicit Meaning of Editorial Cartoons in Japanese Dailies; Continuing the Conversation: Slogans, Names, and Moods; Index.
