Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
possibilities within a particular framework shaped by the political reality
presented to them and their own ideals and political objectives. Yet, it was
their ideals that made them waver. These young people were clearly against
the war, but they felt they had to trust that Komeito was doing everything it
could to achieve its objective of peace. However, what appeared to them as
Komeito
'
s vague
'
no
'
stance came at a heavy price. It brought internal doubts
as to Komeito
s ability to negotiate and an awareness that it looked as if their
promulgation of peace was little more than rhetoric. It was di
'
cult to explain
to outsiders and to themselves sometimes that their continued support for
Komeito was part of a commitment to achieving the best possible outcome
given the di
cult circumstances. While it could be said that pragmatics over-
ruled ideals in the end, the same ideals also made them pragmatic as well.
Essentially, they confronted perhaps the biggest contradiction in democracy
itself, that of the individual living in a politically and globally complex plur-
ality in which arbitrary political forces were at play while they, as individuals,
seemed to have little impact, albeit not for lack of wanting it.
Just after the July 2004 Upper House election I met up with Yuki in the SU
library, the place where I often met other UNRC members for chats and
interviews. His father had become a local-level politician six years previously
after having run his own one-man company for many years, washing and
repairing cars. Always involved in Soka Gakkai activities, his father was
also active in the local community. Yuki was the youngest of three broth-
ers, and in his third year of studying law. Although he had begun participat-
ing in UNRC activities in his
first he had not been very active as
he was busy playing taiko (Japanese drums) in another of the university
clubs. However, since participating in the UNRC trip to Nakano the
summer before, he had become much more interested and was now
responsible for a newsletter the UNRC sometimes published. On the trip to
Nakano, he had enjoyed the chance to talk to and get advice from senior
graduates who had joined them on that three-day study trip. He had sub-
sequently gone on to participate in the trip to the New York UN Head-
quarters where he learned about how di
rst year, at
erent things were outside Japan.
How did he feel about the Upper House election that had just taken place on
11 July?
Well it is a bit disappointing because we didn
it exactly win. We could not
achieve the goal of 10 million votes, so it doesn
'
it really feel like victory.
Now there is no election for another three years, which is disappointing.
'
He clearly enjoyed elections and the challenges they presented. What would
he do to prepare for the next election?
Well, just carry on with Soka Gakkai activities, and spreading the Soka
spirit, consolidate my friendship with people, I mean developing rela-
tionships of trust, and take care of each individual person.
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