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way to put Ikeda-sensei
s ideal of peace into practice in the real world of
politics. For that I really admire him. That
'
s why I can support Komeito,
because I respect certain politicians. So more than the party, it
'
'
s indivi-
dual politicians that I support. I don
t know all the politicians, but the
ones I know, I can respect. For example I also like Sawa Yuji (who was
elected for the
'
first time in 2004). He worked in TV for more than 30
years and made his own programmes. That
s really respect-worthy. So I
support them because I trust them when I see and hear about their
achievements and observe their behaviour.
(conversation with Toshi, 04/06/2004)
'
Lack of trust in or identi
cation with politicians is an oft-cited reason for
people to take no interest in or be cynical about politics. Toshi, who did
'
not
like young people who are politically apathetic
, however, shared this view in
a roundabout way as he also felt he needed to be able to trust and identify
with them to support them. That politicians are mostly interested in personal
power and pro
'
t is a common perception in Japan, and one that Toshi shared
about politicians he did not know.
Once, after a lunch meeting with a group of the UNRC members, I left
with Kishi, a good friend of Tobi
s and with whom I had by then spoken on a
number of occasions, as well as interviewed in December 2003 when he was
introduced to me as someone who was strongly against the Iraq War. At that
time he was 19 and therefore not eligible to vote; nor could he engage in
election activities. He had been strongly against what he saw as Komeito
'
'
s
insu
cient opposition to war, and was not sure if he would have voted for
them anyway had he been 20. Seven months later, now 20, he still felt
ambiguous about the whole issue. So was he going to vote for Komeito this
time in the July 2004 election? He elaborated:
I
cult to discuss this in front of the others, but how can I sup-
port Komeito after their handling of the Iraq War? I am
find it di
finding this
really hard to deal with (kurushinde iru). When I read Ikeda-sensei and
Toda-sensei
s guidance on how people should keep a watchful eye on
politicians to make sure they work for the people and for peace, I feel like
we should speak out, that Komeito did not do the right thing in sup-
porting the Koizumi government. But it is so di
'
cult to give voice to this.
My parents are Soka Gakkai members and when I tell them how I see it,
they say I am wrong. It is also di
cult to talk about at meetings because
we all have this goal of achieving 10 million votes, so it is di
cult to say
you don
'
t support.
(conversation with Kishi, 23/06/2004)
Kishi, who was a graduate of the Soka Junior and Senior High Schools, felt
that although no one told him not to ask questions or to criticise, there was a
feeling that it was time to move on from this controversial issue and get busy
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