著者

川野 徳幸

出版者

広島大学国際協力研究科

雑誌

国際協力研究誌 (ISSN:13410903)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.7, no.1, pp.19-35, 2001

---

The aim of this paper is to explore major political factors constituting slips of the tongue of ministers in Japan.Namely, this paper clarifies the salient political situations which make the speeches of the ministers slips of thetongue. In doing so, the history of the slips of the tongue in the Post- war Japan can be written. This is also one ofthe aims of this paper.The major political factors of speeches of the ministers are: the content of the speech, conditions of the domesticpolitics and diplomatic relations, and reaction of mass media. If the speech is to justify Japan's military activities inthe China-Japanese War (1931–1945) and in the Pacific War (1941–1945), to cast doubt upon the necessity of theArticle 9, to comment on the nuclear armament of Japan, and to discriminate against Asian people and minoritypeople in the U.S. As a result, the speech becomes a domestic and a diplomatic issue and is picked up by the press.In these cases, the speeches of the minister become slips of the tongue.

著者

川野 徳幸

出版者

広島大学国際協力研究科

雑誌

国際協力研究誌 (ISSN:13410903)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.8, no.1, pp.19-31, 2001

---

There are two aims of this paper. The first purpose is to explore major political outcomes brought about by slipsof the tongue of the ministers in Japan. The other is to attempt at their empirical demonstration. As far as we know,few earlier studies in political language have attempted an actual validation of alleged effects of political language. The present paper shows political functions, political effects and political responsibilities of slips of the tongue ofthe ministers in Japan. Three major political functions and effects are a point of attack against the Government par-ties by the oppositions, cause of a split in the diplomatic relations between Japan and the countries concerned, desta-bilization of the foundation of coalition government. These three political functions or influences can be found inmost cases of slips of the tongue of the ministers. This paper also clarifies the political responsibilities of the minis-ters concerned. The ministers in question have never been appointed to posts of minister or to important posts in theDiet or LDP once they resigned from the ministerial position because of the slip of the tongue. They have, however,never lost their positions as a member of the Diet. This is because slips of the tongue have little effect on the elec-tions of the ministers. Why do the opposition parties use these slips of the tongue as an object of attack against the Government parties?Support expansion and vote acquisition will be plausible answers. This paper attempts to show whether these twofunctions work or not. For this purpose, it discusses the result of a national election, especially the rates of votes andthe number of elected persons, of the House of Representatives. The result shows that the political functions of sup-port expansion and vote acquisition work hardly in the medium and small electoral districts. However, PrimeMinister Yoshiro Mori's verbal missteps have a considerable effect on the election of proportional representation.