Following the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, Japanese politicians were slow in making decisions, failed to respond to the crisis, and showed a lack of communicative competence. The foreign media described this situation as one in which “a people of high civic standards is being led by incompetent leaders.” Our politicians, as those responsible for leading the nation, must now more than ever before (1) act based on a positive and bright vision for the future of Japan, (2) communicate effectively with persons both inside and outside the country, and (3) build a good and sound Japan. To do so, we expect them to perform the following tasks.

Japan has many things to be proud of: a highly sophisticated history and culture, legal systems that allow its people to enjoy freedom, strong social bonds (that were amply demonstrated after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and highly regarded internationally), technology and industry with high standards, and many others. It is a responsibility of our generation to maintain these advantages that have been passed down by our forbears, to address any issues, and in turn pass them on to future generations.