Tokyo Bubble Life

Chapter 1573 (1582): The opening day of Parliament, and the fighting broke out!!!

Once the seven-day national mourning period is over, even though Emperor Hirohito has not yet been buried, the country must return to normalcy.

The parliamentary session has already been delayed by more than a week because of this matter, and it should be time for it to officially begin. The distinguished members of parliament still need to discuss "matters of national importance"!

When Yoshihiko Noda arrived at the Diet Building for the first time in the new year, he was full of energy, because he now had a support group!

Although the Aoba Party only has one or two members, it has the support of senior members of the Social Democratic Party. He is now the most prestigious member of the ruling party's "youth faction"!

The future path involves becoming the highest-ranking "fifth-ranking official" within the ruling party, selecting a powerful cabinet minister, and then running for prime minister.

A bright political future seemed to be beckoning him!

With this thought in mind, Yoshihiko Noda vaguely seemed to see a blurry figure in front of him, as if that "bright future" was truly beckoning to him.

Then, upon closer inspection, he realized that someone really was waving at him.

"Ah! It's Shuichi-san!"

After realizing what was happening, Yoshihiko Noda quickly jogged towards Shuichi Itō—that truly was his bright future!

"Shui Yi-san!!"

"Noda-kun"

Shuichi Itō greeted him with a smile.

How was your New Year?

"Haha, great, it's been a really long vacation!"

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Yoshihiko Noda asked,

"Why is Shuichi-san at the Capitol Building today?"

"I'm not here to answer questions about the construction budget for the new National Grand Theatre!"

As the undisputed next Minister of Cultural Affairs, Shuichi Itō has already begun to get involved in the cultural sector, planning to first finalize the budget for the new National Grand Theatre, and then officially take office as Minister of Cultural Affairs with this achievement.

"The budget for the new National Grand Theatre!"

Yoshihiko Noda nodded. He had heard about this cultural landmark project last year; apparently, the Prime Minister had asked Naoki for donations because he was worried about budget constraints.

I didn't expect that this year they would directly hand it over to Shuichi-san to be in charge?!

Money really does make a difference!

"Don't worry, Mr. Xiu. I will give you my full support when reviewing the budget!"

"Haha, I'm glad Noda-kun meant well~"

Shuichi Itō patted Yoshihiko Noda on the shoulder.

"Now that you're the leader of a faction, you need to be more assertive! Show everyone your leadership!"

"Yes!! I will!"

Yoshihiko Noda nodded excitedly at first, but after calming down a bit, he seemed to remember something and asked,

"Shuichi-san, I heard that the new Emperor Akihito will also be giving a speech today, and I heard that Shuichi-san attended the Emperor's enthronement ceremony?"

"what"

Shuichi Itō recalled being dragged there; he had spent the entire night at the Imperial Palace and was then forced to work an extra day until all the procedures were completed before he could go home.

He slept all day long. He's so tired! He's not even in his twenties anymore!

"That's right!"

"Haha, Shuichi-san is joking."

Yoshihiko Noda said with a laugh that he thought Shuichi Itō was joking.

"Is there any difference between His Majesty Emperor Akihito and His Majesty Emperor Hirohito?"

As a young member of parliament, he didn't have many opportunities to meet the Emperor.

"Well, how should I put it, he looks more like an ordinary person now!"

Shuichi Itō recalled Emperor Akihito's appearance; he seemed quite amiable.

"Ordinary people, huh?"

After chatting with Yoshihiko Noda for a few minutes, Shuichi Itō went to talk to the familiar councilors. Yoshihiko Noda watched Shuichi Itō being welcomed and felt envious.

Building the new National Theater is a lucrative project in itself, with so many opportunities to manipulate things: who gets to build it, where to buy the seats, and a considerable number of seats to be allocated.

Once he actually assumes the position of Director-General of the Cultural Affairs Agency, coupled with the national policy of building a culture-based nation, he will be able to mobilize even more resources. Even if Mr. Xiu doesn't use them for himself, he can use them in exchange for more support, which is why he is very close and friendly with all the members of parliament.

"This is the kind of person who should be dividing the cake!"

Noda Yoshihiko had ambition in his heart,

"One day, I will also become someone that everyone greets with great enthusiasm!"

"."

As time went by, the usual opening day of Congress soon arrived.

Today, the newly enthroned Emperor Akihito has come to the Diet Building!

All members of the Diet took their seats in order of precedence, and the first regular session of the Diet in the first year of the Heisei era began under the chairmanship of Speaker Kenzaburo Hara.

"Now, please welcome His Majesty Emperor Akihito to deliver his opening address!"

Emperor Akihito, now middle-aged, walked steadily onto the podium. He was not nervous at all, after all, he had basically taken over the emperor's duties since Hirohito fell ill.

Good morning, everyone.

Emperor Akihito spoke in a down-to-earth manner, recounting his continued support for the Diet since his arrival as Emperor Akihito, and so on.

Yoshihiko Noda, who was listening below, actually thought that this person was alright, and didn't have that arrogant feeling.

The Emperor's speech was merely a formality; the Prime Minister's policy speech that followed was the truly important one. Doi Tagako stood confidently on the podium:

"Gentlemen, in the coming year, the Cabinet will focus on 'building the nation through culture' and strengthen economic and cultural development."

"Support traditional culture, build public cultural centers and facilities, and revitalize the film industry."

"We must present a beautiful image of Japan to the international community!"

"."

Having already passed the "Culture-Based Nation" bill at the end of last year and even raised funds, Doi Tagako appears quite relaxed at the start of this year. There's no need to waste energy arguing with the opposition parties!

The passing of Emperor Hirohito, the largest representative of traditional forces, made things much easier for the left-leaning Social Democratic Party in politics.

In short, this year is the time to shine!

Doi Tagako's speech ended amidst applause, but afterward, she keenly sensed that some people in the opposition parties, especially the Liberal Democratic Party, were exchanging glances and making connections.

"No, they're up to something!"

Doi Tagako quickly summoned several trusted confidants, including Itō Shuichi, who was now the executor of the "cultural nation-building" strategy and was naturally a core member.

"I see several members of the opposition party seem to be planning something. You should communicate with the Social Democratic Party members and be prepared."

Hi! XN

The confidants all went to communicate with the councilors they were familiar with, and Shuichi Itō was the last one to arrive, coming to Yoshihiko Noda's side.

At this point, representatives from the opposition parties began to speak. After stating their positions and questioning the cabinet's policies, one of the representatives from a smaller party spoke up:

"The Emperor's grand funeral costs far too much of the national budget. Is it really necessary to hold a state funeral for such a war criminal? This is clearly 'heroizing' a war criminal!!"

"We should face up to our war responsibility and history! We must also seriously reflect on the harm we caused to our neighboring countries!"

"Prime Minister Doi, please answer the question regarding the cost of Emperor Hirohito's state funeral!"

"."

These words immediately sparked heated debate in Congress, with some right-wing representatives even shouting in protest.

Emperor Hirohito's historical position has always been a gray area in politics, and successive governments have been reluctant to deal with such a mess. However, now that he has passed away, it is indeed time to finally make a final judgment!

Doi Tagako, sitting in the audience, was also somewhat bewildered by this sudden move. For a moment, she even thought that this person was someone the Liberal Democratic Party had put forward to cause trouble!

If we face history squarely, Hirohito will have to bear the blame, which will inevitably provoke a backlash from all right-wing conservative forces and cause chaos in the Diet afterwards!

At this time, the opposition party representatives were still questioning her, and as the prime minister, she also had to respond.

As the leader of a left-wing party, she must also maintain her stance!

Under such immense pressure, Doi Tagako frowned and pondered for a while before finally making up her mind!

She stood up and walked to the microphone:

"Japan caused enormous harm to its Asian neighbors during World War II, and Emperor Hirohito certainly bears responsibility for that!!"

With a roar, the right-wing conservative members of parliament erupted in uproar, vehemently opposing the Prime Minister's words:

"The Emperor is innocent! He is a great man!" "He is a god!" "The Prime Minister should apologize!!" "Absolutely not!!"

Left-wing lawmakers, on the other hand, were very supportive.

"He's just a criminal who escaped trial!" "It's time for reckoning!" "You bunch of accomplices!"

The two groups then started swearing at each other, and their anger escalated.

Some people slammed their fists on the table and roared, some threw documents into the air, and some even picked up chairs, threatening to escalate into a full-blown brawl.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" "It's you barking like a dog!!"

"Want to die?" "Are you afraid of me?"

In the end, the politicians' verbal sparring was no different from the Yakuza fighting on the street.

Speaker Kenzaburo Hara quickly banged the gavel and shouted:

"Quiet!" "Quiet!!" "Order!!"

"Party leaders, maintain order!! Otherwise, I'll have to call in the Capitol Guard!!"

"This is just the opening day!!"

"Don't let the outside world laugh at us!!"

"."

After his persistent appeals, experienced members of various political parties offered their advice, and it took more than ten minutes to finally calm the atmosphere and allow Doi Tagako to continue speaking.

However, this time, her words naturally carried a reassuring tone:

"The Emperor's throne represents Japan. This cannot be denied, nor can it be ignored."

"Even if there is war responsibility, the funeral should still maintain basic dignity!"

"This is not just about the Emperor alone, but about the national dignity of all Japan!"

"Therefore, the current cabinet will acknowledge the Emperor's war responsibility, but the funeral rites will not need to be changed."

"."

With another loud bang, the councilors started their verbal battles again!

Although Doi Tagako explained the necessity of the grand funeral ceremony, her statement that the cabinet would acknowledge the Emperor's war responsibility still sparked controversy in the Diet.

However, this time it was slightly weaker than the last time.

Next, Doi Tagako elaborated on her reasons from the perspectives of international perception and public sentiment.

But the most important thing is this:

"If we deny history and cause representatives from other countries to not attend the Emperor's funeral, that would be the most shameful thing!"

"."

These words left even the most extreme royalists speechless. They were the ones who truly valued the Emperor's burial.

However, there are still stubborn people who are still speaking out in defense of the Emperor.

No one paid attention to the speeches given by the Speaker of the Senate and the Speaker of the House in the ensuing meeting; some members even stormed out in anger!

Young Diet member Yoshihiko Noda looked at the lively scene on the opening day of the Diet and felt somewhat helpless:

"Looks like this year's budget is going to be difficult to pass again."

"I wonder if things will go wrong at the Emperor's funeral!!"

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister's statement in Parliament was quickly relayed to the media through sources, instantly attracting their attention!

Television stations that had been broadcasting live also began reporting this important news.

Soon, the whole of Japan started to get excited!

Even after seven days of national mourning, Naoki Nagayama still did not leave Yamazakura-in.

He spends his time at home taking care of the kids and keeping Akina company; his life is incredibly happy, except he's always being urged on by Otomo-san from work.

Meanwhile, watching the breaking news on TV, Naoki Nagayama and Akina felt a sense of absurdity.

"A fight broke out in Congress?"

Naoki Nagayama, who had just been playing with Hana-chan and poured her some water, scratched his head in the living room.

"This is only the first day."

"They say a member of parliament made the move on the way out!"

Akina had been watching the whole thing and gave a brief explanation.

"It seems it was because of the Emperor's grand funeral rites. Then Prime Minister Doi said that the Emperor bore responsibility for the war or something."

"Forehead"

Naoki Nagayama highly praised Tagako Doi's statement.

"Hirohito was responsible to begin with, but he was spared trial because he was the representative of Japan."

"What's there to argue about when it comes to political reasons!"

Akina, deeply influenced by her own government, nodded subconsciously.

"However, many people seem very angry!"

"They are angry because their interests have been violated!"

Naoki Nagayama shrugged.

"However, this kind of verbal sparring is useless. It will soon come to an end!"

In this era of the Cold War, the two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, were built on the foundation of defeating fascism. The entire Western international ideology leans towards the left. If Japan, a defeated country, were to deny the Emperor's guilt, it would certainly face pressure from international public opinion!

"The Emperor's funeral has invited so many countries. If other countries refuse to attend because of this incident, then it would be a huge joke!"

"So in the end, the right wing will compromise!"

At this moment, Naoki Nagayama looks exactly like the future Jianzheng hero sitting behind the screen!

"."

Akina listened, stunned for a moment, and finally spoke:

"Alas, for the departed, it is indeed most important to be laid to rest in peace."

"Um"

After watching the news for a while, Naoki Nagayama stopped paying attention.

"Alright, Hana-chan is tired from running around. Akina, let's take her to take a bath~"

Naoki Nagayama took Little Lotus.

"I'll take care of the lotus sauce!"

Akina lowered her head, glanced at Natsuka, whose temples were slightly damp as she drank water, and nodded:

"Good flower sauce, Mommy's taking you to take a bath!"

After finishing her water, Xiaoxia looked at Naoki Nagayama with some reluctance:

Why doesn't Daddy give me a bath?

"Well, because Hana-chan is a girl and she's all grown up!"

"Does growing up mean I can't take baths with my dad anymore?"

"Yes!"

"."

(End of this chapter)