“Let the Tube Man Die”

Inflated and standing tall in the sky, “tube man” is often seen in front of a car shop for advertisement. But tube man in Japan is something different. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Taro Aso, on Monday told his will to die without expensive terminal care funded by governmental budget. He called a patient in terminal care “tube man,” and said “I don’t need that care.” Although his comment might be disappointing for patient’s family, media accustomed to his light tongue reported his words with small headline.

The statement was made in a governmental meeting for social security reform. “It is too much being lived, even when wanting to die. Supposing it to be done by the governmental money makes my every wake-up in the morning bad. There will no solution without permitting to die soon,” told Aso. “Tube man” was his expression about patients with tubes through nose, mouth or somewhere else on their body for terminal care.

Aso immediately invited criticism from opposite parties. “There are ones who struggle for survival. A politician needs to comment carefully respecting each person’s will and sentiment,” told Secretary General of DPJ, Goshi Hosono. Aso explained his comment as his personal view to life. Naming of “Tube man,” however, must be recognized as ridicule to the patients and their families. Considering he is Minister of Finance, his words might be thought as reflecting of intention of Ministry of Finance, which is struggling with cutting budget including for expensive medical care.

As a Prime Minister, Aso had made a number of false comments. “Why do I need to pay for someone doing nothing?” he told about medical care in 2008. Later soon, “I apologize if I my words harmed feeling of patients on bed,” he said. Most of his false comments stem from his family background. His family is typical one of the establishments in Japan. He is a son of the president of a large cement maker and his grandfather is former Prime Minister, Shigeru Yoshida. Having no experience of want of money, he is said to be innocent about ordinary people’s life.

In Abe cabinet, the Minister of Environment, Nobuteru Ishihara, expressed patients of gastrostomy as “looking like aliens” a couple of months ago. He also is another son of establishment, former governor of Tokyo, Shintaro Ishihara.

For PM Abe, who also is a son of established family, Aso and Ishihara are indispensable “tomodachi.” But the fundamental basis of an administration would be soon eroded by minister’s misstatements, because people see essential characteristics of an administration through their comments. A Deputy Prime Minister who doesn’t understand what ordinary voters think may become Achilles’ heel for Abe administration.