politics

Noda appears in eye patch for tax fight

57 Comments

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© 2012 AFP

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57 Comments
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yoppalai deska?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Knock some sens in his head!1

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I bet someone banged thier fist against his eye in this informal mmeting.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Daijobuka? Are you alright PM Mr.Noda? tumbled before picking up tax fight (!)

1 ( +1 / -1 )

"rather than in a pirate-style slant"

I guess a pirate-style slant would get even more criticism, lol.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Ah, the effortless style of the oyaji generation. And such dignity from our leaders as they take us into their vision of the future.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

He should've worn a pirate's patch instead. It'd give him an aura of Jack Sparrow-ness and simultaneously raise his approval ratings.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Ouch, he must have still been involved in some deep considerations at the time.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

haha, even a patch with a little bit of that tape that you can use that doesn't pull on the skin when removed would have looked better!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Japanese media reported that the prime minister fell over in the dark in his official residence on Sunday night after >returning from dinner with business leaders.

Yep returned from dinner with his friend Jack Daniels.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

An embarrassed-looking Noda told reporters: “I banged it on something.”

That's hilarious.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If I was in his position I would insist on a more stylish eye-patch. But then again, you often see Japanese people with one of these, usually for no significant reason (a black eye?), so it might help show solidarity with the many medical paraphrenelia fetishist people of Japan.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

He should have at least drew a picture of an eye on the patch. That would have been hilarious!!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Useless Japanese doctors at work again. These patches are about as much use as a chocolate teapot; just like those ridiculous face makes the Japanese love wearing.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

I could not stop laughing at the news last night while watching him. Yep, this is our leader. Who falls over in the dark and hits "something". Still laughing. The pirate comment was great.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I don't have any insight on Nodas marital relation. But somehow I wonder if the 'thing' he banged his eye on might have been his wife's fist.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Lets fight? Noda lost his battle with a door.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I think he got poked in the eye as he was "asking" Ozawa for help.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The ship is sinking, fill your pockets with gold and everyone abandon ship!!! Eye eye capn noda.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

fill your pockets with gold and everyone abandon ship!!!

According to another article, fill your.....something else...is more appropriate. LOL!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

In a country of blind men, the man with one eye is .....

3 ( +3 / -0 )

So now he's a pirate? What is this? Cosuplay?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Quel dork.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Oh, he got whacked! Somebody doesn't like taxes...

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

He'll look better with both eyes patched.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

should have thrown a sickie for 2 days Mr PM....and the advisor who told you to wear that,punt him.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Am I the only one who thinks images like this damage the credibility of Noda and his leadership? Vain yes, but images like this don't build confidence on a psychological level. Franklin D. Roosevelt understood the importance of appearances in a way Noda doesn't. Noda should have just phoned it in and stayed behind the scenes.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

The DPJ demonstrated no better vision for Japan's future under Noda's predecessors Hatoyama and Kan, so I don't think having a half-blind one now will do any more harm.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I would have advised he go with a Hello Kitty patch instead. May as well take kawaii to new levels. At least he would be remembered for something after they toss him out in a couple months.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Airion, it's hardly vanity to show up for a press conference with a ridiculous-looking eye-patch. With an approval rating 1t 29%, it's difficult to say what, if any, impact it will have. If FDR thought that showing his crippled body to the American people would undermine his popularity, I'm afraid that has more to say about the American people than the Japanese.

I, for one, appreciate the guy's self-deprecating style.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

would prefer if he came out shirtless and sporting boxing trunks. Also, maybe if he ran up the steps of the Diet building and then screamed EIIIIIIIIIIDOOOOOOOOOOORIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Arrrr.... mateys! I be here to plunder yer riches fer me own intrests!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

No genkan lights?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Sourpuss, sorry, I think I misused the word "vain." I meant it's shallow of us to judge Noda based on his appearance, but there's still a negative psychological reaction (conscious or not) to seeing the leader of Japan with an eye patch, and Noda unfortunately chose to ignore this.

The fact that FDR had to hide his disability does say a lot about American society at the time. Times change though, and I think any leader, Japanese or American, would not have any need to hide their disability today. The key difference is that Noda's eye patch isn't due to a disability, it's due to clumsiness!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

He has switched to the Swedish Pirate Party. Good move.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Maybe it was the result of a night on the town with Ebizou!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The Japanese people will wear two patches if the any tax increase is approved. "Just follow me blindly." So, the good ol' boys had a party to decide what would they would do to keep their jobs. In the American election today, Kibuto Theater is often referred to when speaking about the rhetoric at debates, etc. Noda is just "slap stick comedy" and should not be accepted as a reflection of adult, polite Japanese etiquette.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Please excuse the grammatical error "if the any tax increase is approved."

0 ( +0 / -0 )

noriyosan73: ""Just follow me blindly."

Very well put!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Perhaps Noda met the crook Ozawa in a dark alley on his way back from dinner?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I always laugh when I see people on the train with one of these, I've never seen anyone in any other country wear one of these.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

He looks as stupid as everyone esle in this country that wears one of those eye patches in public. Didn't they show pirate movies in Japan? If you have to wear an eyepatch then at least wear a pirate one.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

"But I don't wanna be a pirate"

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

boring news article and even more boring comments

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Only in Japan!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Haha, what's with all the eye-patch fetish in Japanese entertainment nowadays?!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Noda: "ARRrrr! Look alive, me hearties! Tax opponents ho! Port battery prepare a financial report broadside for those scallywags! Sta'brd battery be ready for the same when we come about!"

Aide (muttering): "Geeze! It's just a black eye!"

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Why would you wear a patch for a black eye, anyway? It's not like you're taking attention away from it or anything. He could sport the black eye and say, "I was fighting the opposition on taxes", or some self-deprecating joke.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Jeez - you all are that angry with Noda? Because I can tell you that as you get older your reflexes slow down and you really do bang yourself up more. If you can't consider that possibility for Noda you're gonna have a real hard time dealing with getting old yourself.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Let me make sure I get this.

An unelected fat bloke gets falling-down drunk with his pals on drinks we paid for, then gets a limo we paid for back to his house which we paid for, then shows up to explain why we need to pay more?

And does anyone else think he looks like Tony Hancock in this picture?

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Rocky

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Make him walk the plank, me 'earties... No but seriously, please show more respect to the democratically elected leader of this great country during the few months that he has left.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Maybe his wife gave him a black eye, a real shiner!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

probably he wants to be a nice Samurai like Date Masamune or Yagyu Jyuubei.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Man wants to raise taxes and he can't even look the people in the eye.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Mr , Noda .. Do you Know that ....?

If one with one Eye ( it's a curse).. He or She should not be trusted...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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