Photo/Illutration Fumio Kishida announces his candidacy for leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party at a news conference in Tokyo in August 2021, holding a notebook in which he wrote down comments he heard from voters. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Touting its “kiku chikara” (ability to listen) and striving to further enhance its skills, the government will inaugurate on April 1 a new ministry called Kokumin Keicho Sho (The Ministry of National Listening).

Its first job is to embed “keicho sofuto” (listening app) in every smartphone in the land. This amazing program enables ministry officials to pick up every call and social media exchange made by phone users.

From the outset, the slogan of its “ability to listen” has been haunted by the question of whose words, and what kind of opinions, the government intends to heed.

When a lawmaker, a close aide to the prime minister, suggested that he might as well listen closely to all citizens, the prime minister immediately agreed, as if by clicking “Like.”

According to the new ministry, artificial intelligence analyzes phone exchanges and social media posts nonstop to explore people’s intentions in detail.

When the system tags certain individuals as “people of interest,” ministry officials keep their eyes and ears peeled on them, 24/7.

A young lawmaker spoke up, saying: “This will turn us into an eavesdropping nation that would floor even the most ruthless dictatorship.”

But a Cabinet minister reportedly admonished the dissenter on the spot: “Shush. Don’t you ever let the prime minister hear that.”

The wily politico was apparently worried that the prime minister might waver on his policy.

However, a person close to the government confided that a tough technical problem has arisen.

The source pointed out that the AI’s performance level leaves something to be desired, and delays are expected in analyzing the massive audio and text data it must process.

It could take as long as a few months for the report to reach the prime minister, the source said.

An expert says the only way for the government to perform fully up to its “ability to listen” in a timely manner is to import China’s state-of-the-art surveillance system.

When the expert recently confronted the prime minister with this observation to ask if such a thing could ever be done, he could only listen in silence.

Today is April 1.

Happy April Fools’ Day, everyone.

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 1

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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