Eric's Beijing Diary

Who is this extraordinary woman? How did she become such a popular figure, generating widespread support from the Japanese people? And how did she end up generating such rage from the Chinese, as reflected by this comment by the Xue Jian, the consul general in Osaka: “The filthy head that recklessly sticks itself in must be cut off without a moment’s hesitation?”

Could she have imagined her current popularity years ago when she was riding around Japan on her Kawasaki 400? What are the circumstances that came together to place her in this unique and powerful position? I had a history prof in college who said, "Men make a lot of history, but history makes a lot of men." The Bible says (Psalm 75:6-8), "For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.  But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another." But if it is God who makes these decisions, we are still left to wonder  at the actions of men or the accidents of history that made this person necessary at this time. After all, we are not just puppets on a string. We have a certain measure of agency, although I am hesitant to call that "free will," because that implies that we are completely free to act righteously apart from God's redeeming grace.

When we see someone rise to prominence, we tend to assign virtue to that person. But the older I get, the more I am inclined to see the majesty of God in raising up people for his own purposes. So our study of history is really the story of "His story." When it's actually happening, we say, "Lord, what are you thinking?" but as time goes on we begin to see the wisdom of his purposes. We don't see the answer to all things, but this does not stop us from searching. "It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. (Proverbs 25:2)"

She was a protege of Sinzo Abe. I don't think she ever would have gotten to where she is today without him. But she was also strongly influenced by Margaret Thatcher. But I don't know that Thatcher should be given all the credit for Takaichi's staunch conservatism. That, I think would have much more to do with her simple stable background. Her mother was a police officer, and her father worked for an automotive company.