In the past two weeks the pension scandal that has touched so many lawmakers has progressed from a political embarrassment to pure farce. The offered reason for regret is that the people's "trust in politics" has been damaged, a suggestion that's risible even under normal circumstances.
Former DPJ leader Naoto Kan
However, by dwelling on the apologies the media has obscured the real meaning of the scandal. The citizens know that the ruling coalition was pushing a revised pension bill through the Diet that would raise premiums while cutting benefits, and that the Democratic Party of Japan opposed it.