simon loves books📚活字中毒の左衛門
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kant.bsky.social
simon loves books📚活字中毒の左衛門
@kant.bsky.social
co-founder of Salon Séance. philosopher at heart, historian by trade. did the research for Gambling Man (Allen Lane, 2024; 邦訳『勝負師』日経BP). next book: Tokyo’s Private Railway Empires. 元자이니치. 京都生まれ名古屋育ち東京在住. simonは芸名です.
https://salonseance.com
Posts with Japanese text / All Posts = 245/3,809 = 6.43%

Likes of posts with Japanese text / All Likes = 572/16,466 = 3.47%

(Number of observations over a 60 second period)
Bluesky is a Japan site now, i don't make the rules
【測定データ】

測定対象: 2026-02-04 11:00:00
測定時間: 60秒

日本語を含む投稿: 245 [post/min]
全ての投稿   : 3,809 [post/min]

日本語を含む投稿へのいいね: 572 [like/min]
全てのいいね       : 16,466 [like/min]
February 4, 2026 at 3:40 AM
In JNN’s most recent poll, published today, people were asked which party they intend to vote for in the proportion representation side of the Lower House elections

Only 4% of the under-30s demographic answered with a left or centre party (CRA, Reiwa and SDP each had less than 1%; Mirai 1%; JCP 3%)
February 2, 2026 at 5:13 AM
Reposted by simon loves books📚活字中毒の左衛門
【『地平』アーカイブ】
参政党の台頭はなぜ可能になったか――解かれた極右の封印 chihei.net?p=5517

〈政治学者カス・ミュデ氏によれば、極右の国家像は「民族支配(ethnocracy)」である。要するに、「真の国民」を狭く定義し、それに沿わない人々の権利を厳しく制限するという発想である〉
参政党の台頭はなぜ可能になったか――解かれた極右の封印 - 月刊『地平』
「ふつうの政党」の陰で進む社会規範の弱体化
chihei.net
February 1, 2026 at 6:32 AM
evergreen benjamin
January 31, 2026 at 7:47 AM
The TACO theatre
January 31, 2026 at 7:12 AM
Another interesting perspective, this time on the difference in emphasis in the campaign speeches of Takaichi and Noda/Saito
January 31, 2026 at 6:00 AM
As Mark Winchester @archerknewsmit.bsky.social has noted, “foreigner problem” and “foreigner policy” are terms that have come into currency only in the past year

Nakano Kōichi ran a search on Asahi Shimbun database and saw such terms had no or only single digit hits until 2024, but 3 digits in 2025
January 27, 2026 at 8:25 AM
Gramsci casually quoting something Romain Rolland wrote eight years prior, in a book review no less gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/b...
January 27, 2026 at 5:08 AM
An illustration: A man was watching the JNPC debate between the heads of the major parties on TV with his wife

At one point Tamaki grilled Takaichi over whether the sales tax cut for businesses will be by zero-rating or by exemption

And the wife went “poor Ms. Takaichi, being treated like that”
January 27, 2026 at 3:33 AM
One of Sanseito’s co-founders, Watase Yūya, said yesterday that the party strategy in their first national election was to lure people who support Reiwa

This was because Reiwa supporters already overlapped with Sanseito in their affinity for anti-vax, conspiracy theories, organic foods, etc.
January 26, 2026 at 8:20 AM
In one of his campaign videos, the winner of the Fukui gubernatorial race implored voters to help preserve the monoethnic nation
January 26, 2026 at 7:28 AM
My understanding is this

Her appeal lies in contrast: first woman PM who looks approachable and upbeat, instead of stiff and elite ojisan

Plus most people don’t actively seek political information, so they mainly know what little they’re shown on social media, showing her smiling and ganbatteru
whats her appeal to young Japanese voters anyway, do they want Sakoku 2
January 26, 2026 at 3:01 AM
The Sanseito-backed candidate just won the Fukui Prefecture gubernatorial election
January 25, 2026 at 2:13 PM
I like how the map of contemporary East Asia in David Pilling’s Bending Adversity just matter-of-factly presents the reader with “Manchuria”
January 22, 2026 at 6:20 AM
An interesting perspective on Takaichi's popularity among people in their 20s
January 18, 2026 at 2:09 PM
According to the latest NHK poll, when asked which policies the Takaichi cabinet should prioritise, the under-40s age group showed the greatest concern among all age groups for the foreigner problem (green) and the least concern for the slush fund problem (yellow) news.web.nhk/senkyo/shiji...
January 13, 2026 at 4:49 PM
I read many a book over the past year, but two books left the deepest impression on me

They challenged me, made me dwell and spurred me on not only to think but also to think better

They are UNO Tsunehiro’s In Search of a Garden and AZUMA Hiroki’s Peace and Folly
December 31, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Reposted by simon loves books📚活字中毒の左衛門
Honored to have my writing appeared at @jmwwjournal.bsky.social!! I thank the editors and @kant.bsky.social’s feedback on the earlier drafts.
December 4, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Also: Kyodo has just independently verified the WSJ’s claims by interviewing people on the Japanese side with knowledge of the call

According to their reporting, Trump stressed the need to “manage” the relationship with China in his call with Takaichi
news.jp/i/1366746011...
November 27, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Religious studies scholar Shimada Hiromi has a new book on Sanseito out this week

He details how Sanseito adopts tactics already proven effective by Komeito (which Shimada has studied for decades)

And by JCP and Reiwa (Furuya Tsunehira’s book from last month is also good on the Reiwa connection)
November 13, 2025 at 9:19 AM
autumnal mazesoba with porcini and beef in mushroom cream sauce
October 30, 2025 at 5:27 PM
「私は総じて読書を好む。知性を鍛え魂を強くすることのできるようなことが見出される類いの読書は、私の最も好むものである。とりわけ私は、才気の優れた人と共に読書することに、無上の満足を見出す。こうすると、読んでいることについて刻々考え、考えたことをもとにして世にも楽しく、かつ有益な会話が成り立つからである」

(「ラ・ロシュフコー自画像」『ラ・ロシュフコー箴言集』より)
October 29, 2025 at 12:40 PM
「ちゃんとわかる人にとっては、わけのわからない人たちにわからせようとするよりも、彼らに負けておくほうが骨が折れない」

(「箴言448」『ラ・ロシュフコー箴言集』より)
October 29, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Once again, the "conspiracy parties" revealed themselves

In yesterday's Miyagi governor race, the LDP-backed incumbent Murai won by 1.8% against the Sanseito-backed Wada whose supporters spread misinfo about Murai

Exit polls show Sanseito, DPP and Reiwa have the highest share of Wada supporters
October 27, 2025 at 3:52 AM
Ishiba will hold a press conference at 6pm

Some say he’s going to resign and retire, others that he will resign but also make a bid for re-election in a leadership election

We won’t know for sure until 6pm
September 7, 2025 at 7:16 AM