Social network gaffes plague Japanese politicians

This imperious attitude is evidence stems from the fact that many of these leaders occupy positions due to family ties and pedigree rather than through superior skills of persuasion and dialogue. #nepotism #stop bullying.

Maybe if these politicians actually had integrity, wisdom, and class there wouldn't be any slip ups or unsavory comments. Basically nothing to hide.

Just more proof of what some of us have known all along. Politicians are not in it to help people. They are in it to promote themselves, and increase their own power at the expense of others.

They're behaving exactly as you'd expect a power hungry tyrant to behave when they "think" they are speaking as if they are in a private conversations.

Japanese idiot politicians actually think that unless they're standing in front of a bunch of doe eyed reporters, nobody's listening.

Foot-in-the-mouth disease goes social! Social networking, that is.

Politicians should use more common sense when trying to communicate their messages. But then again, common sense is almost an oxymoron nowadays...

Politicians should be banned from social media for their own good....

These types of "gaffes," as they call them, aren't just endemic to Japanese politicians. They became the new form of reality TV porn with the surge of Facebook and Twitter users who just couldn't seem to make the connection that what they publish on those sites becomes public to the world by virtue of the very nature of the site's, well, public-ness.

The answer is simple: If you're going to talk smack about someone -- anyone -- and aren't prepared to handle the repercussions of blatant ass-hattery, then shut up and keep your grumblings to yourself.

The only 'lack of intelligence' is from morons like these who seem to think nothing will come of their way of thought, especially when posted online for all to see. And no, I don't pity their lack of intelligence one iota.

This could be the best thing that's ever happened in Japan. No matter what some of you might say, the majority of Japanese people aren't that naïve to not recognize stupidity when they see or hear it.

Politicians should be banned from social media for their own good....

100% disagree. I think it is great that the public is finally being able to see what we've known all along - that most of the people in power in this country have zero respect for the public. I think it is great that they are being outspoken and making their pathetic views known. The media in this country has ignored things, covered things up and refused to print articles on these jerks and it is about time the public has access to all these comments. Perhaps now the public here will wake up and take an interest in the jerks running the show.

A good thing. Japanese politicians generally read scripts handed to them by bureaucrats ( they are no idiots ) and we have a media which generally doesn't grill politicians. Anything which can help us see the what they are thinking, warts and all, must be a good thing. After all, Twitter helped to destroy the credibility of a dangerous bigot like Hashimoto on the national stage.

It's not a problem of social networks.

There are so many totally clueless Japanese politicians who are educated way beyond their level of understanding and who haven't a clue how to communicate with people.

The Japanese voting public is in complete apathy, which is how the situation as arisen and why it continues.

More light needs to be thrown on these idiots to show them up for what they are.

Come on social networks!

And let's have some Japanese Assange's, Mannings and Snowdens.

Let's find out what is really going on!

Sharrup! Sharrup!

Our tax Yen@work

so for Japan has enjoyed a free international field for diplomacy and trade, but know Japan has to face China,India, Malaysia,Singapore, Russia and other developing countries, all these countries have very experienced politicians and diplomats, many of them using English as a main tool for their communication. Japanese students and the education authorities are not interesting in real promotion/learning of English language

the Foreign Ministry reprimanded him last week.

So it won't happen anymore, right.

It won't stop unless these guys lose their jobs or careers. Shaming them on social networks isn't enough.

The Internet can't fix stupid. It only magnifies it.

I`m pretty happy these guys are talking like they are. It gets everything out on the table and shows them for what they really are. Japan really needs to wake up and find out what kind of leaders they have. It also shows the world what kind of leaders Japan has.

In the old days before social media these cowardly people could hide behind thin veneers of respectability and get everyone to kowtow to them. Then behind close doors they could carry on as they please. So it is even better these days with more people becoming interested in Japan as social media and website like Japan Today carry these stories.

Japan really deserves some leaders that will give its own citizens and the world the same respect they say they deserve. It will be a slow process, it will take many years but I am sure they will get there (eventually).

Japanese politicians and government agencies control access to information through a system of press clubs, and to keep their memberships, traditional Japanese media often have overlooked politicians’ gaffes.

I had no idea of the censorship that is prevalent in Japan until I moved here. People remain in power because their true self is never exposed due to censorship.

On social networks, as with anywhere else, stupid is as stupid does.

We can all wax lyrical about how stupid/ignorant/insensitive/whatever Japanese politicians are, but until the voting public actually DOES something about it, it means very little.

A democratic society votes in the the leaders it deserves Welcome to Clowntown

Hashimoto said and tweeted that sex slavery by Japan’s Imperial Army before and during World War II was a “necessary”

Hashimoto did not say sex slavery was necessary, he said comfort woman as a meaning of prostitute was necessary. AFP should educate Ms.Yamaguchi not to use newspaper for agitation.

These gaffes happen when politicians are completely disconnected from the real world and/or have a considerable lack of social intelligence. Pick your choice...

Hashimoto did not say sex slavery was necessary, he said comfort woman as a meaning of prostitute was necessary. AFP should educate Ms.Yamaguchi not to use newspaper for agitation.

Hashimoto has been causing agitation on his own since he stepped into the limelight. The man's a dinosaur who needs to go. Fortunately, seems he's decided to hang his own noose.