politics

Hatoyama starts tweeting, using blog

15 Comments

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has launched a blog and started using Twitter in a New Year bid to reach out to the public at a time when his ratings have tumbled. Hatoyama began using the microblogging service Twitter and launched a fully-fledged blog, both in Japanese, starting Friday.

"Happy New Year everyone," he said in his first tweet, stressing that he had written it himself. "My target is to send one tweet a day for now until I get used to it."

San Francisco-based Twitter, which has won tens of millions of users with the service that allows people to pepper one another with 140-character or less messages, launched its Japanese service in April 2008.

In his blog, titled Hato cafe, Hatoyama said: "I started this blog as a first step to burying the gap between people and politics as well as changing this country together."

He also uploaded to the blog a picture of his office roof against a backdrop of blue winter sky, explaining that he took the picture with the camera on his mobile phone.

The Twitter account is http://twitter.com/hatoyamayukio, while his official blog is at http://hatocafe.kantei.go.jp/

© Wire reports

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

15 Comments
Login to comment

Will the Prime Minister's blog and tweets be simulaneously translated into other languages, particularly English? Or will we non-nihongo speakers need to do that ourselves? BTW, I just visited the hatocafe link and didn't see any immediate English translation button - darn! Site looks pleasant enough and informative. Hope both communication tools prove successful for Mr. Hatoyama and his leadership of Japan. Good Luck!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Don't expect it.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

“I started this blog as a first step to burying the gap between people and politics as well as changing this country together.”

I would think a good first step would be coming clean about the financial scandal. What did he know and when did he know it? He could tweet that. Who is going to pay the taxes on the 9 million, he or his mother? Did he ever pay interest on that "loan"? He could tweet the answers to those questions within 140 characters. Why doesn't he?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Will the Prime Minister's blog and tweets be simulaneously translated into other languages, particularly English?

only for people who wish to be bored to death in 2 languages instead of one

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It appears that Hotoyama is preparing for a resignation and will enjoy Tweeting/writting blogs... same like Hosokawa (former PM) who resigned to watch Sakura and enjoy Yakitori !

0 ( +0 / -0 )

He should just get a login here. Just think of all the knowledge he could gain about his country from the wit of all the JT members!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

He should just get a login here

not so easy...JT moderators will scare him like....(you know it) :)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Well at least we know what he got for Christmas,I wonder what else he got.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

At least he's trying to branch out and engage the people.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Can see it now...

"Furikomi just came through..."

0 ( +0 / -0 )

as a first step to burying the gap between people and politics

somebody better tell him(or whoever translated this) you bury hatches, and bridge gaps.

Here's his latest tweet (translated by babelfish):

Being hung in the positive shining which now morning is good quickly, it appeared in the garden of the official residence, but being very cold, the shank. New Year's Day at many places was visited in the heavy snow, but everyone how was, probably will be? Our Cabinet is the first day of the year for work in earnest from today. This year taking life of everyone into consideration always, it starts working by all power. We ask may

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Ok I don't hate twitter, but for some reason, I find it weird when important people like him have twitters. I feel like I can't take them seriously anymore or something. But if he thinks it will help him communicate with the people, good on him I guess. I know Twitter reaches a lot of people (despite being ultimately useless. that said, time to go update mine! haha).

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Hato Café blog is looks like a commercial blog. These days blog is a fashion for politicians.

Why he mentioned “Gandhi’ name” in his post under title “About this blog”? Gandhi was a great leader of India. He sacrifices his all wealth for his country’s freedom. Gandhi’s life style was so simple and he lived like an honest saint. Please do not misguide Japanese people by using Gandhi’s name in your blog. First you pay all taxes honestly to Japan.

Why is he using this government “kantei.go.jp” portal for writing his personnel experience? “昨日の空の写真は私が携帯で撮りました。” Translation: “I took the yesterday's sky photograph by my mobile.”

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I think the mention of Gandhi's Mausoleum is the caption for the photo (the PM went to India). I agree the heading of the article ("About this blog") is irrelevant to the article.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

An English translation is being offered at http://hatocafe.blogspot.com

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites