The phrase did not even come close to evoking the “conviction and sympathy” that he had hoped for. Instead, his words came under fire, just as I had expected.

“From now on, we should aim for a ‘tanoshii Nippon (pleasant Japan)’ led by each and every one of us,” Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said in his first policy speech at a regular Diet session on Jan. 24.

He placed repeated emphasis on building a “pleasant Japan.”

Policy speeches are statements showing the political direction the prime minister intends to take in the year ahead.

Successive prime ministers have examined the policies that should be emphasized to the public, selected their words together with close aides, and meticulously prepared their speeches.

Ishiba was no exception.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the 100th anniversary of the start of the Showa Era (1926-1989).

According to those close to Ishiba, the draft of the speech was worked out several days ahead of the Diet session, and the length far exceeded the policy speech of his predecessor, Fumio Kishida.

At the last minute, Ishiba and his aides were forced to shave it down. What remained in the final version was the slogan “pleasant Japan.”

The slogan was originally made known by Taichi Sakaiya, a writer who initiated the 1970 World Expo held in Osaka Prefecture.

Sakaiya also coined the phrase “dankai generation,” referring to baby boomers born between 1947 and 1949.

Ishiba was conscious of this year’s Osaka Kansai Expo, and he took a page from Sakaiya’s “shift in values.”

During the policy speech, Ishiba mentioned Sakaiya’s name and defined his vision in this way: “In a ‘pleasant Japan,’ everyone can feel safe and secure, challenge their own dreams, and realize that ‘tomorrow will be better than today.’ It is a vibrant nation where people with diverse values respect each other and strive for self-fulfillment.”

Opposition leaders reacted immediately.

Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan who is a former prime minister himself, said, “The words are spinning around a bit.”

Seiji Maehara, a co-representative of Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party), said, “The reality is that the people are in no mood (for a tanoshii Nippon).”

Motohisa Furukawa, acting president of the Democratic Party for the People, also chimed in.

“The content (of the speech) was very disappointing, and it raised concerns that ‘words may be jumping but no progress is being made,’” he said.

In my opinion, a call for a “pleasant Japan” could never resonate at a time when most people are suffering from high prices. The internet, in fact, was filled with voices critical of Ishiba for misjudging the public mood.

I could not shake the strangeness I felt about the slogan.

I have been covering Ishiba for more than a decade, and I had never viewed him as a politician who easily utters abstract and positive words, such as “pleasant.”

It is safe to say that the Ishiba I know is more of a pessimist.

Before becoming prime minister, Ishiba often used strong words to sound the alarm about scandals in his Liberal Democratic Party: “Politicians must be prepared for ‘what ifs’”; “It is not enough to say, ‘It was unexpected’”; and “The public sees through everything.”

Because of this stance, LDP members talked behind Ishiba’s back.

A former Cabinet member once said, “Talking with Ishiba makes me feel gloomy.”

But from the perspective of those whose trust in politics had been shaken, Ishiba’s way of looking at things was the same as that of the public.

However, only at the beginning of the policy speech did Ishiba unleash his “Ishiba-esque” tone, referring to a sense of crisis over the declining population. After that, the prime minister excessively emphasized “pleasant Japan.”

Eventually, the gap between his speech and the current world situation was the only thing that occupied my thoughts.

Ishiba said the policy to realize a “pleasant Japan” is a “regional development,” but he left the specifics behind, and his words seemed even less persuasive.

According to interviews with inside sources, those in the prime minister’s office believed the slogan was rather typical of Ishiba because it suggested that spiritual richness is required in this age of diversifying values. They didn’t think that it would lead to criticism.

This shows a lack of understanding of the suffering of the people, who are poring over fliers in search of inexpensive cabbage and lamenting the skyrocketing price of gasoline.

In the world of politics, there has been no progress in getting to the bottom of the LDP’s money-in-politics scandal.

It is unlikely that the “pleasant Japan” slogan uttered by the leader of such a political world would resonate honestly with the public.

Ishiba has repeatedly stated that he needs to pay attention to the LDP, saying, “I am both the prime minister and the LDP president.”

Yet, support of the people should have been his original base.

Now that the LDP has lost its majority in the Lower House and Ishiba is leading a minority party, the distance between him and the people is sure to grow.

Ishiba has recently been moving from his residence in the Diet members’ residence in Tokyo’s Akasaka district to the prime minister’s official residence adjacent to the prime minister’s office.

I imagine that Ishiba may be tormented by the weight of responsibility as well as a sense of loneliness when standing alone in the middle of this huge structure at night.

However, “true loneliness” would come after being abandoned by the people.

Considering his recent political stances, it may not be long before Ishiba keenly feels true loneliness.