This essay examines the scandal in which Jun Azumi of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan graded newspaper articles and posted them on an opposition office door.
Drawing on Rui Abiru’s argument, it exposes the hypocrisy of opposition politicians who criticize power while exercising it themselves, and the media’s failure to confront those it habitually favors.

March 11, 2020
The Asahi Shimbun gives preferential treatment to Mr. Ishiba for the reason that, although he is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he is critical of the Abe administration.
But if Mr. Ishiba were to become prime minister, the Asahi would surely turn around at once and begin criticizing the “Ishiba administration.”
The following is a continuation of Rui Abiru’s essay.
Then “out of the question” is perfectly fine.
On February 4, Jun Azumi, chairman of the Diet Affairs Committee of the Constitutional Democratic Party, added his own comments to newspaper articles reporting on Diet questioning and posted copies of those articles on the door of an opposition waiting room inside the Diet.
A political reporter’s column in the Tokyo Shimbun, titled “Even so, do not give up on opposition unity,” was marked with the words “100 points” and “Wonderful!” together with a flower-circle mark beside a caricature of the reporter.
The Asahi Shimbun article headlined “‘Cherry Blossom’ dinner party income and expenditure not recorded; prime minister and other lawmakers also say ‘no problem’” received a flower-circle mark.
The Mainichi Shimbun article headlined “‘Cherry Blossom’ prime minister’s answers begin to fray” also received a flower-circle mark.
The Yomiuri Shimbun article headlined “Opposition focuses on policy debate” was judged “barely safe.”
The Nikkei article titled “Kishida says ‘distribution to the middle class’; post-Abe policy stance becomes clear” was marked with a large X, along with the words “trash,” “zero points,” and “banned from entry.”
As expected, the Sankei Shimbun article pasted near the bottom of the door, titled “Requests to the government; LDP shows presence,” was marked “out of the question” (laughs).
In short, they seem to think that questions by the Liberal Democratic Party are not worth reporting and that it is enough so long as the spotlight is placed on themselves.
They are free to think whatever they like inwardly.
But when an executive of the largest opposition party does something this childish, it is embarrassing even for those watching.
Mr. Azumi explained that he had “gotten a little carried away” and that it was “just meant as a joke.”
But if an LDP lawmaker had done the same thing, what kind of reaction would there have been?
It is easy to imagine that there would have been an uproar about pressure on the press and suppression of speech.
The only saving grace was that Shiori Yamao raised her voice from within the Constitutional Democratic Party.
On Twitter, Ms. Yamao warned, “For a public party to compare and evaluate each newspaper’s reporting from above and comment that something is ‘out of the question’ is itself out of the question. Even the opposition is power.”
That is exactly right.
We experienced under the Democratic Party administration that people who had criticized those in power become authoritarian the moment they gain power themselves.
During the Democratic Party administration, Azuma Koshiishi, then secretary-general, intimidated television companies that had reported in ways he did not like.
He said, “If you do things like that, we will stop your radio waves. The government can stop radio waves. If that happens, all of you will no longer be able to receive your salaries.”
Ryu Matsumoto, then minister in charge of reconstruction, also hurled abusive words at the governor of Miyagi Prefecture and then declared, “Those words are off the record. If you write them, that company is finished,” which forced him to apologize.
Mr. Azumi once served as finance minister under the Democratic Party administration.
It is frightening that a person who once stood at the center of government can calmly act in this way.
The media being looked down upon by politics.
As Ms. Yamao says, so long as they are members of the Diet, even opposition lawmakers are people in power.
For example, Mr. Edano criticizes “Abe’s one-man dominance,” but what about himself?
Even two years and four months after its founding, the Constitutional Democratic Party still has no rules for a leadership election, and in effect it is in a state of “Edano’s one-man dominance.”
At this rate, he will become “Edano, representative for life.”
Even worse is the Communist Party, where Kazuo Shii has now been chairman for twenty years.
When a Sankei reporter asked him about this at a press conference, he became incoherent.
Democracy is not applied to the opposition parties.
And yet they call Prime Minister Abe a “dictator.”
One can only say that this boomerang is splendid indeed (laughs).
The Azumi incident also exposed the true nature of the media.
The media did not raise angry voices against Mr. Azumi.
Reading the Nikkei the day after it had been called “banned from entry” and “trash,” one found only a brief, routine mention.
Even when the opposition party they usually praise insults them, they do not even push back.
The very media outlets that wave the banner of “anti-power” are lenient toward administrations and parties with which they feel affinity.
Because the media are in such a disgraceful state, politicians look down on them.
Now politics is beginning to look down on the media.
Even when the Abe administration’s approval ratings fall over the Moritomo and Kake issues, the Act on the Protection of Specially Designated Secrets, or the security legislation, after a few months they return as if nothing had happened.
Politicians have seen through the fact that even if the left-leaning media are mobilized in full force to attack the Abe administration, they can exert only a temporary and partial influence.
The reason the media have lost their power lies in the media’s own reporting posture.
While claiming to “monitor power,” in the end they simply want to criticize the Abe administration.
The Asahi Shimbun gives preferential treatment to Mr. Ishiba for the reason that, although he is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he is critical of the Abe administration.
But if Mr. Ishiba were to become prime minister, the Asahi would surely turn around at once and begin criticizing the “Ishiba administration.”
Their opportunism is plain for all to see.
This essay continues.