PM Aso to reporter, “Cut the B.S.!”

REPORTERS COVERING the prime minister of Japan are allowed to ask him questions every day in brief press conferences called burasagari, or “hanging on”, as in hanging on to a strap or a person’s shoulders.

The burasagari got its name from the practice of reporters “hanging on” to the prime minister every morning as he walked from his official residence to the Diet building and asking him questions. The press created problems as they hung on the man’s coattails by not watching where they were going, and sometimes photographers wound up stumbling and falling.

Prime Minister Koizumi ended the practice, either to protect them or the public. He resumed the daily informal press conferences in the official residence after the reporters promised to behave, however, and the name burasagari stuck.

For a taste of how the Japanese press conducts itself, here is a quick translation of a burasagari held earlier this week with Prime Minister Aso Taro. Before this exchange, Mr. Aso was asked and answered a few other questions about the six-party talks (and had to caution reporters not to include two different topics in the same question). The following accounts for about 80-90% of the press conference. The questions are italicized.