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Japan's prime minister, Taro Aso, has criticized ailing elderly people for not staying healthy, a comment that could further damage his flagging support in the world's most rapidly ageing country.
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Japan's gaffe-prone prime minister, Taro Aso, has criticized ailing elderly people for not staying healthy, a comment that could further damage his flagging support in the world's most rapidly ageing country.
In the space of a couple of weeks, 68-year-old Aso has offended doctors and parents of small children and upset various factions in his own party, in a string of verbal blunders that have left some analysts wondering about his grip on power.
Commenting on Japan's ballooning medical expenses, the Aso told the government's top economic advisory panel that he tried to stay healthy by taking a daily walk, and questioned why his tax payments should go to fund medical care for others who were more lax.
"Going to class reunions at the age of 67 or 68, I see feeble old people who go to the doctor's a lot," Aso told the panel, minutes of the November 20 meeting showed.
"My medical expenses are a lot lower because I walk and so on," said Aso, who comes from a wealthy family. "Why should I have to pay for those who just eat and drink and make no effort?"
Aso, 68, added that incentives should be introduced for those who maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Aso's top aide, Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura, told a news conference on Thursday that the prime minister had wanted to stress a need for self-help efforts to maintain health and had not intended to criticize sick people or Japan's medical system.
Kawamura, however, added: "If his comments hurt any feelings, I apologize. But I would like to say that was not his intention."
Asked how he feels about being asked repeatedly to explain Aso's comments in recent weeks, Kawamura gave a bitter smile and said: "It would be better if I did not have to explain them.
"But it's part of his character and there may be various comments from now on, and it is my job to make efforts to let everyone understand his real intention."
Just over a week ago, Aso was forced to apologise after accusing doctors, an important political interest group, of lacking common sense. Last year he was criticized for joking about Alzheimer's disease.
Aso had been expected to call asnap election after taking office in September following the sudden resignation of his predecessor, Yasuo Fukuda.
But the fallout from the world financial crisis and his party's weak performance in opinion polls have delayed the poll.
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(Agencies)
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日本“大嘴”首相麻生太郎日前再度失言，他指責本國老年人身體不好，動不動就生病。麻生的此番言論可能會使其低迷的民眾支持率進一步下跌。日本是目前世界上人口老齡化最快的國家。
68歲的麻生首相在上任后的短短幾周內就已經得罪了醫生和小學生家長，也令其所屬自民黨內的幾個派系感到不滿。他的頻頻失言讓一些分析人士不禁懷疑他的執政能力。
麻生于11月20日與政府高級經濟顧問團討論醫療費用不斷上升的問題時說，為了保持身體健康，他每天都散步，并且質疑為什么他要為那些無所事事的老年人承擔醫療費用。
據當天的會議記錄顯示，麻生在會上說：“這兩年我去參加同學會時發現一些同學經常去醫院看病。”
這位出生“富貴”的首相先生說：“我的醫療費用就比較少，因為我經常散散步或進行一些其它鍛煉，為什么我要為那些整天只知道吃喝卻無所事事的人承擔醫療費呢？”
他還說應對那些保持健康生活方式的人予以獎勵。
麻生的高級助手、日本內閣官房長官河村建夫在上周四舉行的新聞發布會上稱，麻生的此番言論意在強調自我保健的重要性，無意指責病人或日本的醫療制度。
他還說：“如果他的這番話傷害了一些人的感情，我深感抱歉。但我想說這并非他的本意。”
在被問及最近幾周屢次替麻生解圍作何感想時，河村苦笑道：“如果不必替他做解釋當然更好。”
他說：“但這是他的性格，今后可能還會出現各種類似的情況。而我的任務就是讓人們理解他的真實意圖。”
僅在一周前，麻生就因指責醫生缺乏常識而被迫公開道歉。醫生在日本是一個重要的政治利益集團。去年他還因拿老年癡呆癥患者開玩笑而受到譴責。
麻生于今年九月接替突然辭職的福田康夫出任日本首相，此后一直有輿論預測他會提前舉行眾院選舉。
但由于受全球金融危機及自民黨民眾支持率持續走低的影響，選舉已經被推遲。
（實習生許雅寧 英語點津 姍姍 編輯）
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