Chapter 773 Political Ideas

By evening, Masayoshi Kishimoto returned to his mansion in the Shinagawa district. Having eaten dinner long ago, he went straight upstairs to his study.

He pushed open the mechanism of one of the bookshelves against the north side, and a safe was appeared behind it. After he entered the correct combination, he opened the safe.

Masayoshi Kishimoto took out a pistol from it, and then sat down on a chair within the writing desk. He unloaded the magazine and took out one of the bullets there, then began to play with it aimlessly.

Rie Sakai found out that he had come home, so she took the initiative to look for him. She knew her husband’s routine, so she didn’t need to look all over the house, but came straight to the study.

During the evening hours, Masayoshi Kishimoto, who was at home, would basically be in the study. Otherwise, he would be sitting in the small lounge drinking or watching a movie in the movie room.

Sakai Rie pushed open the study and stopped as soon as she walked in, then closed the study door with her backhand. She saw that not only was the mechanism of the bookshelf wide open, but the safe was also left open.

Sakai Rie retraced her steps toward Kishimoto Masayoshi and said, “I really don’t understand why you men like guns.”

Masayoshi Kishimoto showed her the gun in his right hand, “Guns bring men strength and power. When a man has a gun in his hand, it brings a sense of control.

For an ordinary Japanese citizen, if he has a gun in his hand, it is illegal for him to carry a gun. The reason why I can legally carry a gun, what does that say about one thing?”

“Privilege, the privilege of the plutocrats and the powerful. It’s just like in Japan in the past, only the samurai class and above were qualified to legally wear swords. With your current social rank, that would be the equivalent of a party daimyo in the past.” Rie Sakai blurted out.

Masayoshi Kishimoto lowered the gun in his hand and said, “What is your business?”

“Ishihara Shintaro has been reelected governor of Tokyo. He had an invitation sent to be there to observe the ceremony.” Rie Sakai told the truth.

“I’m not going.” Masayoshi Kishimoto said firmly.

“Something like this is something that several people can’t even look forward to. What’s wrong with you? It’s nothing more than going to deal with it.” Rie Sakai said seriously.

“Not only do I have no friendship with Ishihara Shintaro, but I don’t even know him. Not to mention that he is a notorious Japanese right-winger and I am a notorious Japanese left-winger in Japan.

He is anti-China and I am pro-China. We are at the opposite end of the political spectrum. Is it necessary for me to bend myself to his liking?

Besides, in 1999, when he was first elected governor of Tokyo, why didn’t he invite me to the ceremony, and in 2003, when he was reelected, he remembered that I should go to the ceremony?” Masayoshi Kishimoto said slowly.

“In 1999, you were not yet a hard gold zaibatsu. in 2003, you had already become one. The people who can receive invitations to the ceremony are undoubtedly the top people in Tokyo, as well as the whole of Japan.

The person who sent the invitation was not Ishihara Shintaro’s secretary, but was personally sent by his son. From this, it can be seen that the other party holds you in very high regard.” Rie Sakai had a word for it.

“He definitely has to think highly of me. Not only him, Ishihara Shintaro, but any politician in the country of Japan would value my supportive attitude above politics.

In my hands, not only do I have the power of capital that can turn the tide, the political donations that politicians need, but I also have the power of the media that can influence the thinking and voting direction of the Japanese public, as well as, most directly, millions of votes.

All of these are things that every politician in particular wants. Shintaro Ishihara’s highest political ideal is nothing more than wanting to be the Prime Minister of Japan.

He wanted nothing more than that, even without my support, he did not want me to take the side of his rivals. It would be equally good for me to maintain a neutral attitude in the future. As long as I live, he should not think of becoming Japan’s Prime Minister.” Justice Kishimoto hit the nail on the head.

“It’s not like someone else has offended you. Why are you so dead set on not seeing him? This kind of thing, political philosophy, is just too arcane.

Ishihara Shintaro’s son just said that his father knows that you are a literary enthusiast with deep attainments, and hopes to have the opportunity to become friends with you in private and talk about literature together.

You must not forget that Ishihara Shintaro is a Japanese writer who has won the Akutagawa Prize. I remember, he was still in college!

He graduated from the same university as you, Hitotsubashi University. You guys are veritable alumni.” Sakai Rie said without haste.

“Ishihara Shintaro was a law major at Hitotsubashi University, while I was a business major at Hitotsubashi University. If he’s so fond of recognizing alumni, then go ahead and recognize Kazuya Takahashi!

Kazuya Takahashi graduated from Hitotsubashi University’s law program, and is still in the same major as him. As for the Akutagawa Prize that you said he won while in college, it was called “Season of the Sun”.

“My opinion of Shintaro Ishihara’s Season of the Sun is basically the same as the comments of Haruo Sato, who was one of the members of the Akutagawa Prize jury at the time.

I don’t necessarily reject the anti-ethics of Season of the Sun, but I think this kind of genre fiction is the lowest of literary works.

The author’s keen sense of the times has not departed from the realm of journalists and performers, and has not reached the level expected of a literary author. In addition, the author’s lack of a sense of beauty and proportion is evident in this work, and this is what I find most irrepressibly distasteful.

In my opinion, the author’s attitude of intensifying and shamelessly forcing a lecture is low. I am ashamed that Season of the Sun, which has no redeeming qualities, was elected by majority decision, and I therefore declare that I am not jointly and severally responsible for its election, even though I am a member of the jury.” Justice Kishimoto was eloquent.

“You and he could also have a nice chat about Yukio Mishima. Mishima Yukio is your favorite Japanese writer. Ishihara Shintaro and Mishima Yukio are good friends.

It’s not unlikely that you’ll be able to hear a lot of secret stories about Mishima Yukio from him. Why did Mishima Yukio choose to commit harakiri in front of a crowd of self-defense officers?” Rie Sakai calmly said.

“I’m going to explicitly correct you on one point: it’s Mishima Yukio’s works themselves that I like, not him as a person.

One of my favorite works of his is ‘Sorrowful Country’, and aside from the **** thoughts he expresses within the text, what captivates me deeply is that perfect blend of the beauty of death and the beauty of eroticism.

Mishima Yukio himself was deeply influenced by the Japanese **** ideology, and the idea of returning the government to the emperor is a particularly ridiculous thing.

In these aspects, I absolutely do not agree with his ideas and thoughts. As for Ishihara Shintaro’s repeated statements that he and Mishima Yukio are friends, they are pure bullshit.

He is still putting gold on his own face. Mishima Yukio himself has stated that he has no friends in the literary world.” Masayoshi Kishimoto explained.