Despite Prime Minister Abe’s remarks being unusually incorporated into G20 and other summit leaders’ statements, Japanese media largely ignored these diplomatic achievements. This chapter exposes how impression-driven coverage eclipses substantive policy evaluation.

2017-08-02
What follows is a continuation of the previous chapter.
The Media Refuses to Report the Achievements of the Abe Administration.
Kato.
Now then, how will Prime Minister Abe confront what the media considers its “final war.”
From an expert perspective, falling below a 30 percent approval rating is dangerous territory.
In surveys by various organizations, the Abe administration stands at around 36 to 31 percent, so it is still barely safe.
However, the media’s offensive, seeing this as a “final war,” will not stop.
Suenobu.
In the survey conducted by your former employer, Jiji Press, it fell below 30 percent.
Despite not committing a single illegal act, it is unfortunate that approval has dropped this far based solely on an atmosphere suggesting “there’s something shady about Mr. and Mrs. Abe.”
What should be questioned is the validity of the policies themselves.
Kato.
It’s almost entirely impression manipulation.
Suenobu.
On diplomacy, including relations with China, the Abe administration is performing extremely well compared to past administrations.
Now in its fifth year, it has gained a real voice in the international community.
Yet newspapers and television, the traditional media, write nothing about these achievements.
Kato.
At the recent G20 as well, Prime Minister Abe delivered results.
While it was natural that coverage focused on the Kyushu floods, it is unprecedented that remarks by a Japanese prime minister were incorporated into the leaders’ statement to such an extent.
I have accompanied successive prime ministers to summits and covered them on site, but this kind of thing almost never happened.
Suenobu.
During the Obama administration, when the United States and France clashed, Prime Minister Abe even stepped in to mediate, showing his growing presence.
However, “anti-power” media think it would be embarrassing to write “he did a good job.”
Even aside from that, Japanese reporters are weak on diplomacy.
They write based almost entirely on briefings from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Kato.
So whether it’s the economy, diplomacy, or constitutional revision, Prime Minister Abe should simply proceed steadily.
The problem is that due to the media’s stance, this does not get conveyed to the public.
To be continued.