Tweet of the Week #138: Fatigue is ‘No Reason for a Break’ Says Former Tokyo Governor

Tokyo Governor Yukiko Koike was recently discharged from the hospital due to fatigue after a tough year working on emergency measures amidst the pandemic. Her decision to follow medical advice and rest for a few days is an encouraging sign of progress in a country struggling to shake off a toxic overwork culture.

Unfortunately, not everyone agreed. In a series of tweets, former Tokyo Governor Masuzoe Yoichi complained that taking rest was “unbelievable” and “unfit for politics.” He also said that working from dawn to dusk is “part of the job,” and there’s “no time for a break.”

This was the worst thing he could have said. Too stupid.

Masuzoe boasted about his resolve after his hip surgery and made ridiculous comparisons to the Battle of Sekigahara, saying that “Tokugawa Ieyasu or Ishida Mitsunari couldn’t take a rest from overwork during the final battle for Japan.” 

Thankfully, this mentally doesn’t fly well with most Japanese people, and the controversial political leader was criticized online by tweeps.

Too stupid

https://t.co/p5w4qzAuKu

日本からブラック企業が無くならない理由はこれ。政治がブラック労働を主導してるから。

これは一番言ってはいけない事だった。アホすぎる…。#舛添要一

— たけひろの趣味あか (@takehiro_hobby) June 28, 2021

日本（にほん）からブラック企業（きぎょう）が無（な）くならない理由（りゆう）はこれ。政治（せいじ）がブラック労働（ろうどう）を主導（しゅどう）してるから。

これは一番（いちばん）言（い）ってはいけない事（こと）だった。アホすぎる…。

“This is the reason why black companies are not disappearing from Japan. Because politics lead the way for black labor.

This was the worst thing he could have said. Too stupid.”

Some nerve

https://twitter.com/manamin_mat/status/1409442669525274628?s=20

この人なに言ってんの
体調（たいちょう）不良（ふりょう）で休（やす）むのは政治家失格（せいじかしっかく）って、どういう神経（しんけい）しているのかな

税金（ぜいきん）で私服（しふく）を肥（こ）やしてやめた人（ひと）がよく言うわ

“What is he saying? He’s got some nerve to say that taking time off due to illness is disqualifying for a politician.

How dare he say that after losing his office for lining his pocket with taxpayers’ money.”

How to express ‘must not’

Here’s a quick review of the JLPT N5 level expression てはいけない and its variations てはいけません (polite) and じゃいけない, ちゃいけない (colloquial). Often used by authorities, teachers and parents, てはいけない expresses prohibition and rules, such as “you must not (do)”, “you cannot (do)” or “you may not (do).”

• ダメだ!そっちに行（い）ってはいけない: “No, no, no! You can’t go over there!”
• ここで走（はし）ってはいけない: “You must not run here.”
• うそを言ってはいけないよ: You must not tell lie.”
• 入（はい）ってはいけません: “You may not enter.”

Vocabulary

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