"Life without truth is an impossibility. Truth is probably the essence of life." ? Franz Kafka, Czechoslovakian novelist, 1883-1924

I gave a lecture in early May at a meeting in an outlying region of Japan. A few days ago, I received a letter from someone who was in the audience. This is what he wrote:

　　　"Thank you for the wonderful lecture the other day. I now understand that the coming House of Councillors election is a very important one that will set the course for Japan's future. I was brought up in a family that staunchly supported the Liberal Democratic Party and I am still a member of the party, but I believe that a change of power is necessary so that we can bring about a politics that really considers the essence and future of Japan. If we keep on the present course, the future for my generation and our children's generation is bleak. These are my increasingly strong feelings as a responsible voter as July 22nd approaches."

　　　On the day of the lecture, I was chatting with some members of the audience, when someone asked me, "What is the meaning of the July 22 election for the citizens of Japan?" 　　　This was my reply: "We need to make the current administration reflect on its actions. In today's politics, the very meaning of the word "reflection" has been forgotten. They've become arrogant. The LDP and the New Komeito Party are deciding things alone in an arbitrary and despotic manner. We must put a halt to this. The most effective way to make the current administration reflect is to serve up a defeat on election day. That means delivering a defeat to both the LDP and Komeito and leaving them with less than a majority in the upper house. Today's politics is headed in a bad direction. Abe's ruling coalition is reckless. We must stop it. The best way to achieve this is to defeat them at the polls and bring about a change in power. So we should bring about a reversal of fortunes on July 22 for the ruling coalition and the opposition, then, ahead of the next general election for the House of Representatives, we should leave the LDP-Komeito coalition damaged while establishing a new coalition of the Democratic Party of Japan, the Social Democratic Party and The People's New Party. If there is no political change of power, Japan will never be a democracy, despite passing as one. The first step toward this political change is a win for the opposition on July 22. This is the one path that leads to Japan's rebirth. We can no longer entrust Japanese politics to this ruling coalition, which is increasingly arrogant and addicted to state power."
　　　I believe the people I was chatting with were LDP supporters. These people were listening seriously to my entreaties to "force the government party to reflect," "reverse the roles of the ruling and opposition parties" and "bring about a change in power."
　　　I sense that the strong advantage of the LDP is slowly but steadily beginning to crumble. I tour the country every day with my message that Abe and his despotic, arrogant, state-centric approach must be humbled on July 22. My message remains the same, no matter whom I speak to.