Photo/Illutration Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, front center, and his Cabinet members pose at the prime minister’s office on Sept. 13. (Shota Tomonaga)

“Bian Lian” (face-changing) is a traditional Chinese dramatic art that originated in Sichuan province, which is known for its peppery, spicy cuisine.

Actors, wearing vividly expressive masks, change from one mask to another in a flash, so that different faces appear on the same performer in rapid succession. This is fascinating to watch, which explains this art’s widespread popularity.

About 20 years ago, I interviewed Bian Lian master Peng Denghuai, who could change his face 14 times in 25 seconds.

When I asked him if there was anything that troubled him, he said he fretted over how best to pass on Bian Lian to posterity.

I suppose this is a common cause of anxiety for everyone involved in traditional performing arts. I recall how the face of this master performer, then in his 50s, became clouded for a second.

Here in Japan, 13 faces changed en masse following Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s Cabinet reshuffle on Sept. 13.

The appointment of five women appears to be his bragging point. But I have serious doubts about many of his choices, including his decision to retain a minister whose capabilities had been called into question.

In the first place, was it even necessary to form a new Cabinet?

Reportedly, Kishida’s reason was that this needed to be done to lay the groundwork for his party’s presidential election next autumn.

I could only heave a sigh of resignation. How petty politics have become. Kishida is also said to be hoping to boost his approval rating by giving his Cabinet a facelift.

Obviously, the Kishida administration is not taking the voting public seriously.

And nothing has changed about the great number of “hereditary” politicians receiving Cabinet posts. They account for more than one-third of the new lineup.

How perilous it is that important matters of the state are being decided almost entirely by people for whom politics just happens to be their family business. I can only hope they can at least see the diverse Japanese people they are meant to represent, not just their own fathers and grandfathers.

How long will government remain rigidly outdated and accessible only to insiders? This deeply worries me because this isn’t about handing down the secret skills of some traditional performing art through the generations.

Incidentally, Peng is now past the age of 77 and still as active as ever.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Sept. 14

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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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