Chapter 3 Chapter 1 Reporter of "Inside the Court"
A tour bus is coming.
"Everyone! This is 1-chome, Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-ku. The white main hall in front of you is the well-known Diet Building, which was rebuilt. The construction area is about 12,500 square meters, and the total area is about 52,500 square meters, with a height of 21 meters, and a central tower as high as 65 meters. On the left of the building complex is the House of Representatives, on the right is the Senate, and the Congress is in session." The white gloves of the tour guide girl swayed with the voice of the microphone.
The bus stops at the South Side of the Capitol Forecourt.
"Next to the House of Representatives are the various bureaus under the Congress and the living room of the House of Representatives. On the left side of the road is the House of Representatives Affairs Bureau. To the south of it is the Congressional Press Hall. On the left is the Prime Minister's Office, which cannot be seen due to trees. The front is the Prime Minister's official residence. Behind the hall are the House of Representatives Members' First Hall, the Second Hall and the Senator's Hall, where the offices of the members are arranged."
The girl tour guide changed hands holding the microphone.
"Everyone! This highland is 30 meters high, surrounded by slopes in all directions. To the north are Miyake-zaka and Lishu-zaka, to the west is Fujimi-zaka. There is Shiomizaka."
The sightseeing bus slid slowly to the south area of the vestibule of the Congress, carefully leaning against the edge of the crowded cars.
"Everyone! This is Shiomi-zaka. In ancient times, this area was the coast. Fishermen stood on the high ground and observed the ebb and flow of the sea tide, so they called it Shiomi-zaka."
The girl in white gloves pointed at the high-rise buildings under the slope of Shiomizaka, and said: "Now Kasumigaseki has become Guanting Street. Please look! Below are the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Science and Technology, and on the left are the Ministry of Transport, Construction Province and Autonomous Province, on the other side of the road are the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Welfare. The tower on the roof opposite the Royal Palace on the left is the Metropolitan Police Department. On the right under the slope are the Central Union Office, the Ministry of Finance, and the Accounting Inspection Office And the Ministry of Education, Ministry of International Trade and Industry."
She switched hands holding the microphone again.
"As you all have seen, Nagata Town above the plateau has become the center of the legislative body, and Kasumigaseki below the plateau has become the center of the administrative machinery. With the combination of the two, this area has become the nerve center of Japanese politics. From this point of view, it would be more appropriate to change Shiomizaka to 'Political Mizaka'!...Everyone is tired. Please visit below!"
The sightseeing bus kicked up the fine spring dust to the roots of the ginkgo trees on the side of the road and drove away.
The first and second halls of the House of Representatives and the House of Representatives are all seven-story buildings made of brown bricks.Its window frames are white like buildings in northern Europe.On the ground floor of the building, there is a high-ceilinged foyer, which houses the lounge, reception room and reception room.Guards in dignified uniforms and caps stood on the narrow landing and called him "Satellite."They belong to the Police Division of the House Affairs Bureau.
A middle-aged man with short stature showed his guest card to the guard and walked into the lobby with the elevator.A sunburned flat face, the center seemed to have been crushed by an iron hammer, the nose was flattened, the eyes were sunken, and the mouth was sunken like an old man.His thinning hair was like grass that was about to wither, tangled together sparsely, and his Adam's apple, the size of a walnut, protruded under his chin.Because he often lowered his head to write, the collar of his shirt turned up.Inside the worn windbreaker is a suit, and there is a small notebook in the jacket pocket.
There is also a reception room on the right side of the hall.There are two women sitting side by side.The short, middle-aged man seemed to be a frequent visitor to the House of Representatives.He greeted the girls in the porter's room with a familiar expression, but they didn't return half of his smile.At this time, a young man wearing a parliamentary badge with a small golden chrysanthemum in the center and a thick rouge ring around his chest, together with an elderly man wearing a secretary badge and a female secretary in a red dress, came from the side stepped out of the elevator.After the female secretary handed over the key to the reception room, she gave a few words of advice.In the parking lot where many black cars were parked, the voice of a female announcer calling for the driver of the young congressman was heard, and the young congressman walked out quickly.Behind him, the small middle-aged man watched him with a mocking smile.At this time, he saw the sixty-year-old congressman walking in with soothing steps under the guard's salute.
"Mr. Miyashita!" the man called him.
"Ah, it's you."
Mr. Miyashita, a pudgy member of fifty-eight or nine years old, looked back at the thin man who approached him.
"It just so happens, sir, that I have news for you."
Because of his short stature, he walked on the toes of his shoes, and wanted to invite the MP to a place where there were no people.
"A customer is waiting for me in the office with an urgent matter, can we talk about it later?" The congressman showed an impatient look.
"Later? All right. I'll go to Mr.'s room later."
"Well, yes." Councilor Miyashita reluctantly replied.
There are four elevators to the right of the lobby.Near the communication room is the special elevator for members of parliament, and the other three elevators are for ordinary people.There were a dozen men and women standing in front of the elevator. They were all middle-aged and came from somewhere.The man is carrying a prison bag, and the woman is carrying a bamboo basket covered with bamboo needles. It seems to be fresh fish, which seems to be a gift for the councilors.On the other side of the elevator is the corridor leading to the underground.The first basement is the congressman's canteen, the second floor is the general canteen, and there is an underground passage leading to the meeting hall, the third floor is the parking lot, and the fourth floor is the driver's lounge.Five or six people came out of the elevator in front, some of them wearing press badges. They looked at each other with the people waiting by the elevator and walked away.People from other places stepped into the elevator. They didn't know that the elevator went underground.Five minutes later, the men and women carrying the gifts returned to the lobby on the first floor.
"From where?"
The little man in the same elevator asked the oldest of them.
"XX in XX County."
"Really? Then you want to see Mr. Hirai?"
"yes."
They looked at the man who was right about the congressman they wanted to meet with surprised expressions.
The little man's name was Hachiro Nishida, and he was a reporter for the "Inner Newspaper" published in the House.He didn't have a press badge, so he used a guest sheet to get in and out of the congress hall.The interior design of the Congressman's Hall is in the same pattern. There are twenty congressman's offices on both sides of each floor, as well as water rooms, toilets, warehouses, and doors neatly arranged on both sides.
Every time Nishida sees this scene in the meeting hall, he thinks of a novel.This is because members who are defeated in the general election often move away secretly at night when they leave the assembly hall.Losing an election is disgraceful to MPs, so they don't have the guts to move out publicly during the day.A third of MPs lose each general election, and the offices are vacant until the newly elected move in.When Nishida saw these, he thought of the "rental" note in "Baxuan Long House", and for this reason, he privately nicknamed the Councilor's Hall "Chairman's Long House".The water-boiling room shared by each floor is similar to the well in the courtyard in the novel. The scene where the female secretary "exchanges information" in the boiler room is very similar to the women living in the courtyard chatting by the well.
Nishida walked forward.The voice of the female announcer shook the whole hall.
"Mr. Asano's car!"
"Gu Guang Senator's driver!"
"Mr. Ejiri's car!"
"Mr. Kadada's car!"
"Mr. Kondo's driver!"
The names of congressmen and the drivers waiting in the underground parking lot in front of the hall were constantly being called on the radio, much like the scene after the banquet was over.It was probably almost noon, so the MPs who stayed in the hall were invited to a lunch meeting of the so-called faction "study meeting".Nishida stood in the corridor and listened carefully to see if there was the name of Masamori Miyashita on the radio, but there was no driver named Miyashita.Nishida walked towards Senator Hidetaro Nakao's office.
Nakao is the name that Nishida often uses on the guest list, and he always shows up in his office when there is nothing to do. This is because Nishida's hometown is the constituency of Nakao Senator.Nakao also felt that Nishida was from the same county, and it was not easy to refuse the request from the reporter of "Yinai Shibo".Nishida never asked for any special care, but only asked to use Nakao's name to enter and leave the hall, and Nakao's secretary agreed.Because if this matter is rejected, once the reporters of the "Insider News" are disgusted, they may spread vicious rumors, which is the common weakness of members of parliament.In the same constituency, spreading rumors about members of the opposition party is irrelevant, but a reporter using members of the opposite faction in the ruling party to spread all kinds of gossip and slander will cause a considerable blow to the candidate.
Some of the doors to the councilor's office were closed, while others left a gap.In a room with a half-open door, he saw the people who were holding fresh fish on the elevator just now, and he heard Senator Hirai talking happily and loudly inside, as well as the high-pitched western dialect of the visitor.Maybe Mr. Hirai will listen to their petitions, and the secretary will show them around the Congress.
Nishida walked across the room, and pushed open the door of Nakao Hidetaro's office without even knocking.The hall is the secretary's room, and there is a second door on the front.Entering the second door is the parliamentarian's office with bright windows, with an area of 20 square meters.The secretarial room is less than ten square meters. There are three desks, bookcases, file cabinets, and reception tables and chairs for the first secretary, the second secretary, and the female secretary. It looks very narrow.The table is full of ledgers, file folders, clippings, piles of documents, pocketbooks, magazines, newspapers, plus two telephones. There is not much room to spare, but it is arranged in an orderly manner.The two secretaries looked back suspiciously at the uninvited guest who came in without knocking. One was a young second secretary, and the other was a female clerk in her twenties, the so-called female secretary.Seeing that the visitor was Hachiro Nishida, a reporter from the "Yinai Shibao", they immediately lowered their faces and turned to the table. The second secretary continued to read the newspaper, and the female secretary continued to work on the name file.
Xi Tian said, "Hello!" The second secretary moved his chin slightly.
"Where's sir?" Nishida turned to the female secretary and asked.
"Going out, not coming back today!" She replied coldly.
"Then please!"
The female secretary didn't say a word, but just nodded, and the second secretary was still reading the newspaper.
"I've troubled you often!" In order to express my gratitude for being able to use Nakao's name to fill out the reception form.
"Yes!" The female secretary agreed coldly.
Although it was the kindness of the congressman to fill in the name of the member in the reception form, it was actually the help of the secretary who informed the reception room that he was allowed to enter.Thinking of this, Nishida made a smile and said courteously to the female secretary:
"Miss Yoshida, next time I'll bring you a box of chocolates!"
"Thank you." She moved her lips without smiling, and the second secretary slightly raised her eyelids.
In the corridor, Nishida regretted as usual that he shouldn't be so humble to the secretaries. Now they must be laughing at him, saying that I am a worthless information dealer.As Nishida walked towards the stairs, he was thinking of telling the female secretary that it would be unnecessary to bring chocolate next time.I immediately regretted it after I said it. This is an old problem that I can't change.Nishida often made a wish to send snacks to the female secretary here and there, but almost never did.Senator Nakao's formidable female secretary pouted because she knew that Nishida had written a bad check.Nishida has his own difficulties, because he is not rich, and often says that he can't keep it.
Nishida, who is a reporter for the "Insider Newspaper" of the National Assembly, knows that the secretaries of the congressmen have considerable extra income in addition to the fixed income, and they are much richer than themselves.The first and second secretaries are, of course, national civil servants. Private secretaries and female clerks called female secretaries are dispatched by companies related to parliamentarians. Their salaries are paid by the company, and the dedicated drivers are also dispatched by the company. .No matter how many private secretaries, clerks and drivers the MP employs, they don't have to pay their own salaries.Even the high councilors who become ministers, their entourage are paid by the enterprises in the constituency.Nishida has often seen MPs accept political donations without receipts or share a lot of money, but are very stingy with their entourage.The basic salary of these entourage sent by the company is the same as that of the company employees, and they also get a share in salary increases, but it may be less, and there may be no overtime pay.Nishida estimated that councilors might give them around $30,000 a month to make up the shortfall.Having a certain income is an enviable thing for Nishida whose income is not fixed.It is precisely because of the unstable income that sending chocolates has become a blank check.
Although they are both journalists of the "Insider News" of the National Assembly, their circumstances are different.There are regular newspapers, and occasionally octavo-sized papers like leaflets; the worst reporters can't even print such leaflet-sized newspapers, and only jump around among the congressmen spreading gossip.Hachiro Nishida is a journalist who falls into the last category.Nishida Hachiro was not so downcast at the beginning.He worked as a political editor at the Tokyo bureau of a local newspaper.Local small and medium-sized newspapers generally distribute some manuscripts from the news agency and arrange them according to political and economic layouts, but Xitian's newspaper is a local group newspaper, and it also has a certain distribution network in neighboring counties.Ten years ago, the editor-in-chief who hosted the political page fell out with the branch manager and quit the newspaper to run the then-popular "Yin Nei Bao".Under the persuasion of the editor-in-chief, Nishida quit the agency with him and became a member of the "Yin Nei Bao". There were also two people from other places in the newspaper.It started smoothly, but after two years, the "President" died of illness, and the other three worked for another period, and then internal disagreements occurred.In addition, at this time, the "Yuan Nei Bao" also went downhill and ceased publication one after another.Those two people resigned when they saw that the newspaper had no future, leaving Nishida alone.
Most of Nishida's "customers" are Conservative MPs, but recently it has become more difficult to get money.There are many reasons, one of which is the decrease of the older generation of MPs, while the number of young MPs is increasing day by day: with the death or retirement of the old MPs, their sons, son-in-law and other "Second Generation" MPs enter the political field, and the upstarts with family ties Councilors, young councilors now account for about a hundred people.In the past, the old congressmen gave back a little money to the reporters of the "Inner House Newspaper", but the new congressmen were different. Xitian had no money to print the newspaper, but the name of "Congress Post" was still on the Westfield business card, and he still used the old method to get it from the congressmen. Get some money, and hang out in Nagata Town as a short-term newspaper reporter until now.
Mr. Kawamura Masaaki "Second" who was stared at by Nishida just now and striding out of the hall is a typical example of this kind of new councilor.Kawamura once said arrogantly: "Father's old relationship is my own, and it has nothing to do with me as a son." The reporters of "Yinai Bao" were all annoyed when they heard this, and someone reprimanded him face to face: "Hey, young boy, don't bully me. Too many people!" These words represent the resentment of the "Yin Nei Bao" reporters who are in the same situation.They have the same interests in safeguarding the reputation and status of the reporters of "Yuannei Bao", but they often fight among themselves in order to compete for money.
Another reason for the downturn of the "Insider News" is that some ambitious members of parliament used the "Insider Newspaper" as a weapon in the past, and now there are more and more members of parliament with salaried bureaucratic backgrounds, and each of them joins a faction. The demand for tools of public opinion Not as urgent as in the past.Since the enactment of the Political Funding Law, a large number of donations have gone through party organizations and factions, which has greatly reduced the personal income of parliamentarians.General councilors only receive the money given by the leaders of their factions, and it depends on the skills of the councilors if they want to make some extra money.In this way, the leeway for funding the "Inner Journal" is reduced.
Furthermore, the "Yuan Nei Bao" can no longer be mailed according to the preferential method of the third type of printed matter.This has increased the burden of postage for those congressmen who distribute the "Inner News" as publicity materials to their constituencies in large quantities.These multiple restrictions on the "Yinai Shio" have increased the number of "information dealers" who do not run a newspaper, that is, "corridor idlers", which is tantamount to increasing competitors for Nishida Hachiro.
Nishida went down to the third floor.Mr. Masashita's office was at the other end of the corridor.Nishida walked towards Miyashita's office lightly, subconsciously lightening his steps, which is a professional habit.He stopped suddenly.In the corridor in front of Miyashita's office, there are piles of waste newspapers and magazines tied with plastic ropes.Nishida bent down to look at the pile of old newspapers and magazines that were about to be sold to dealers who bought junk goods. In addition to general newspapers, there was also "Yin Nei Bao".Xi Tian had already read these issues of "Inside the Court", and the articles strongly criticized a certain important member of the powerful faction.But it is difficult for a third party to understand the crux of the problem, because it deliberately avoids specific events.Nishida understands the mystery very well, and he believes that this kind of criticism article will definitely no longer exist, because there will be behind-the-scenes transactions between them.
On this pile of old newspapers stood "Literary Magazine Zhuyan".This is a thin fanzine, the name of the magazine is printed in No. 2 type, and the plastic string can't block the two characters of "Zhuyan".Nishida has not given up his interest in literature until now.He felt that the literary and artistic magazines mixed in the gunpowder-smelling "Inner Court" were like finding an elegant flower in a mud pool.Nishida himself and his literature-loving companions organized the fan poetry magazine "Monsoon", because there is no money at present and they can only type mimeograph.
"Red Eyes" is a local fanzine, but printed.Nishida really wanted to open it to have a look, but it was impossible to tie it up with plastic ropes.Xi Tian had no choice but to squat there and flip the side of the magazine with his fingers, but all he could see were the bottom few lines of typeface.
Who the hell reads magazines like this?Nishida looked up at the nameplate on the door.The nameplate reads "Shunzo Tozaki".Tozaki is an elder member of the Conservative Party, has been elected seven times as a member, and has also served as a minister.Nishida felt that old people over seventy would not read such literary magazines.Maybe the secretary's, or the elderly first and second secretaries; maybe the female secretary.
Nishida has no relationship with Tozaki, so he can't just ask his secretary for "Red Eyes".It's easy to say, "I'll take the "Brilliant Eye" you don't want," but it's inappropriate for a fifty-year-old man with gray temples to want this kind of fanzine.Nishida often said to himself: Although I do work like an information dealer, literature is my spiritual pillar, and I will not become a person without conscience.But I don't have the courage to confess myself to people I don't know.Xi Tian still wanted to watch "The Scarlet Eye", he thought, anyway, it was given to the dealers who bought the rags, so he could take it away without telling them, as long as it was tied up as usual.There was no one in the corridor, and when Nishida was about to untie the knot, he suddenly felt that the senator or the secretary was about to come out.Although it is a magazine that is no longer needed, it still belongs to the owner of the room if it is placed in front of their door. If I take it away without making a sound, will I be called a thief?
At this time, a person appeared at the other end of the corridor, a tall man in his thirties or five years old.Nishida stood up in a panic and walked away pretending to be calm.Nishida could tell at a glance that he was a government official, and he probably came to give lectures for the new congressman, and he must be holding information.Because the newly appointed MPs are not familiar with the work of the Congress, relevant government officials were invited to use the lunch time to brief them on the situation.
Nishida often sees this kind of scene.Those who give lectures in the parliamentarian's office are generally the section chiefs or assistant section chiefs of the provinces and departments.Although they speak a lot, new MPs often don't understand.With the congressional session approaching, these congressmen lost confidence and asked the officials who gave the lecture:
"Please write down my question on paper."
"I don't know how the minister and other government officials will answer my question, so how can I ask the next question? Please write down the content of the government's possible answer. Then help me write the second question."
In order to seize this opportunity to publicize their work achievements, the relevant government departments immediately agreed to their request, wrote the materials promoting the work achievements of their departments in the question and answer drafts, and compiled them into materials and published them in the special issue of the official newspaper. .Lawmakers buy up the issue in bulk and send it to their supporters and voters to tout their work in Congress.
Nishida spotted the slim back of the section chief walking away, and walked to the door of the room with the name plate "Masori Miyashita".
Masanoshi Miyashita is fifty-nine years old. He was the former director of the autonomous province. He was elected as a member of the parliament four times.
Reporters from the "Inner Court" can enter without knocking.As soon as Xi Tian opened the door, he saw that the young second secretary was pasting clipped newspapers on the clipping album, and there were pieces of paper scattered around the table like snow.The female secretary was making black tea in a corner.The door inside was ajar, and through the crack of the door, a broad-shouldered first secretary, Kizawa Fusaokichi, was seen sitting on a chair opposite Miyashita Senator's large table.When Nishida was about to look for Councilor Miyashita, a voice he had heard before came from inside.Judging from his thin voice and Kansai dialect, he was Masazo Arikawa, the first secretary of Representative Maruyama Koichi.Koichi Maruyama is sixty-three years old and has been elected six times. He is a former Minister of the Environment Agency (Minister of State), and now belongs to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Committee.
Representative Maruyama and the owner of this room, Representative Miyashita, were not at home.The two first secretaries are chatting here while they are not at home.Nishida didn't like Masao Arikawa.Arikawa's demeanor was feminine, which didn't match his muscular body.Nishida has never been under the care of Senator Maruyama.This is because Arikawa is playing tricks there.Although Arikawa speaks a soft Kansai dialect, and his speech often misses the point, he is also a difficult person to deal with.
Nishida felt that it would be difficult for Arikawa Maszo to handle it here, so he had to go to the second secretary.
"Mr. Arikawa will continue to stay here?"
Nishida looked at the slender female secretary making black tea, and asked the second secretary.He slightly raised his freshly shaved head and answered in a low voice.
"It's almost lunch time, and he'll be gone."
The second secretary is young, twenty-eight years old, and his name is Takeo Horiguchi.Caima, who came to Tokyo not long ago, looks more modest than other secretaries.He is the son of Yataro Horiguchi, head of the local secretary group in the Miyashita constituency.Nishida had heard that Takeo had been Horiguchi Yataro's assistant in his hometown.Since Takeo Horiguchi wanted to find a job in Tokyo, Yataro asked him to work with Miyashita and became Miyashita's second secretary.
Yataro Horiguchi used to be the secretary of Senator Konuma. After the councilor died, Miyashita inherited his election site and became a councilor. Since then, Yataro has been Miyashita's secretary.Yataro was nearly seventy years old, but he was still in good health. He continued to guard Miyashita's election turf.Although Gongxia knew that he was behind the times, he still had to listen to the words of this "hometown veteran".
It was time for Arikawa to go back to lunch, and Nishida was waiting for him in the corridor.Nishida was thinking that Secretary Kizawa might keep the money given to him by Mr. Miyashita.
At this time, a group of people carrying gifts from the other end of the corridor came here in two rows.Behind them, "National Diet Wanchao Shimbun" reporter Fumihachi Konuma, holding a large brown envelope, hurried over with his head bowed. "National Congress Wanchao Daily" is a large-scale "inner newspaper" that is issued regularly.Nishida felt that he was just a reporter for the "Yinai Shibo" in name, and he felt inferior about it, and he didn't like Furunuma's arrogant attitude, so when he saw him, he hurriedly hid into the boiling water room by the corridor.
When the reporters of "Inside the Court" met each other in the corridor, they turned their faces away without any sense of intimacy.Furuma Fumachi walked past the door of the boiling water room, and Kizawa and Arikawa also came out of the councilor's office.When Nishida ran out of the water boiler to take a look, he saw the back of Muzawa and Arikawa walking side by side towards the elevator.
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