Politics that doesn't talk about culture

The current global trend is said to be "from hardware to software," and a shift to a society where both are in harmony is required. For example, the progress of science and technology in the world is remarkable, but are they being fully utilized in our lives? Few people are making full use of the functions of IT devices such as computers and mobile phones, and digital home appliances that we use every day. High-level functions are not necessary for everyone, and we are required to change them into hospitality that suits each person's needs and abilities. I believe that this is the role that science and technology must play in the future. In order to make modern society, which has left the human heart behind, a richer and more fulfilling society, we cannot do so by relying solely on science and technology. It is essential to develop the soft side that can read and understand the human heart. One key to reading the heart lies in culture and art. Japan has many things in the world that we can be proud of in terms of culture and art. Creating an environment for culture and art based on excellent science and technology will create a place for further leaps forward for the inheritance of Japan's unique culture and diverse creative activities.

Eight months have passed since the Democratic Party of Japan took power after a landslide victory in the 2009 general election for the House of Representatives. According to a survey by Jiji Press, the approval rating of the Cabinet has fallen from 60.6% at the time of its inauguration to 23.7% as of April 16th of this year. The Democratic Party's catchphrase, "From concrete to people," has now been taken up by some in the media as the root cause of Japan's economic stagnation. I believe that both concrete and people are very important. If we think of concrete as "hardware" and people as "software," wouldn't it be possible to build a richer and more attractive society by optimally combining the two? However, how can we get politicians who are not shy about calling public buildings "boxes" to understand that architecture is both hard and artistic, and is also a cultural asset for humans?

The Basic Law for the Promotion of Culture and the Arts came into force in December 2001, which defines basic principles for the promotion of culture and the arts and provides that the national and local governments support cultural and artistic activities. However, I have not heard of this law being effectively implemented. I am convinced that Japan's soft power, which has created and passed down a unique culture that is highly regarded around the world, such as arts such as architecture, fine arts, crafts, music, literature, photography, and theater, traditional performing arts such as Noh and Kabuki, and media arts such as film and animation, will definitely revitalize Japan. I have heard that corporate philanthropy is shrinking in scale but expanding in scope, despite the economic downturn, with some philanthropic organizations deliberately not putting their corporate names on the front page. In last year's "Business Review" by the Administrative Reform Council, it was determined that many culture and art-related budgets should be reduced or abolished, but will Japanese politics just watch as private company managers contribute to the development of Japan's culture and the arts out of a sense of social responsibility? High cultural value creates high economic value and helps revitalize the economy. Furthermore, if Japan's culture and arts are recognized internationally, it will become a country that is respected as a culturally advanced nation. To achieve this, we need understanding of culture and the arts and concrete policies.