鳥取環境大学紀要
第２号（2004.2）pp.87 −94

A Study of Political Communication in British Mass Media:
The Emperor's State Visit to the UK and Hashimoto - Blair's Letters to the Sun

KANAYA Yoshiichi

1998 年 5 月の天皇皇后の英国訪問は各地で強制収容所で犠牲となった元捕虜から強い抗議を受けたが、ある意味で大成功だった。タイムズをはじめとする高級紙、デイリー・メイルなどミドル・マーケット紙、サンやミラーをはじめとするタブロイド紙、地方新聞、さらには日本語週刊新聞などの活字メディア、ＢＢＣを中心とするテレビ、ラジオの放送メディアの多面的で精力的な報道（社説・コラム・
投書欄・パネルでの論争）において戦争捕虜問題、日英関係、天皇皇后公式訪問が深く論じられ、慶子・ホームズの活動なども紹介されたからである。同時に、日英の宮廷外交、メディアのあり方の違い、さらには、日英両国民のお互いの国に対するイメージ、距離感の違いも浮き彫りにされた。小論ではまずそのきっかけを作った橋本龍太郎首相とブレア首相のサンへの投稿のポリティカル・ディスコース分析を試みる。事実上、二通とも、キャンベル報道官によって書かれたものであり、新労働党政権の政治コミュニケーション戦略の興味深い実施例である。
ブレア首相、キャンベル報道官、政治コミュニケーション、戦争捕虜、謝罪と和解
Abstract ： The Emperor's state visit to the UK in May 1998 was greeted by a series of noisy and visible protests byformer prisoners of war, civilian detainees and their supporters. It was, however, one of the most successful cases ofroyal diplomacy of the House of Tenno. Broadsheets, middle-markets and tabloids created a controversy and covered
the process extensively. Broadcasts such as BBC TV and Radio put up ambitious programmes. The issue of Prisonersof War and Anglo-Japanese relationship were hotly debated and the conciliatory activities by Keio Homes wereintroduced. Even local papers around the UK and weekly Japanese papers in London devoted space to thecontroversy. It was unintentional perhaps, but it provoked a wide range of discussions on the Anglo-Japan relationshipand promoted deeper understanding between the two peoples. It also showed differences in royal diplomacy, media
and mutual images in the two countries. In this paper I shall apply a political discourse analysis of then Prime Minister
Ryutaro Hashimoto's letter and Tony Blair's letter to the Sun, which initiated and incited the controversy. Both letterswere virtually written by Alastair Campbell, Blair's press secretary. It was a political communication project by Blair
and Campbell and an interesting case of media management of Blair's New Labour Government.
Keywords Tony Blair, Alastair Campbell, political communication, prisoners of war, apology and reconciliation

government, especially the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the

1. Introduction
In early January 1998 Tony Blair made an official visit toAgency of the Imperial Household, traditionally was very

Japan, as always the case Alastair Campbell, his press secretarycautious in exploiting the prestige of the House of Tenno1). It

was with him and they met then Prime Minister Ryutaro

was a big fuss when the Emperor visited China in October 1992

Hashimoto in Tokyo. One of the most important items on thefor the first time after WWII.

agenda for their meeting was a forthcoming state visit by the

There was virtually no big diplomatic problem between theJapanese Emperor and Empress to the UK. The Japanese

UK and Japan. Because Margaret Thatcher eagerly invited and− 87 −

鳥取環境大学紀要

encouraged Japanese investments, Japanese companies in第２号

style of Ryutaro Hashimoto's letter.

all sizes stationed their European headquarters and main
factories all over the UK: Nissan in Sunderland, Toyota in

2. Ryutaro Hashimoto's Letter

Derby, Honda in Swindon, Panasonic and Sony in Wales

2 - 1 Headlines and Photos

and NEC in Scotland for example. The Lake District and

The Sun is one of the News International's institutions owned

Cotswolds in England and the Highlands and Edinburgh inby Rupert Murdoch, which includes the Times, Sunday Times,

Scotland were among the favourite destinations in Europe

Sun and News of the World. News International

for Japanese holidaymakers. Many young Japanese werecombined circulation, which outstrips rival companies and, put

studying in British Universities and language schools andtogether with his television interests, gives Murdoch ansome younger people were even in public and boarding

unprecedented grip on the British news media 5). The Sun is byschools. Royal Prince, Hironomiya, his wife and Prince

far the biggest selling tabloid in the UK mainly and for the

Akishinonomiya had studied in Oxford University and theyworking class. Hashimoto wrote a letter to the Sun. It was awere said to be anglophiles. Some Japanese universities"planted article" in popular newspapers, which was increasingly

built extensions in the UK for students who wished to study

utilised in the British political scene, especially under the Blairone or two years out of four. There was, however, one long-government but almost unheard of in Japan .

controls

6)

outstanding problem. Precisely because of this problem the

The political communication project materialised almost

Japanese Prime Minister was not invited to the fiftieth

immediately. With photos of Hashimoto and Trevor Kavanagh,

anniversary of VJ-Day (Victory against Japan Day, 15

its political editor, the front page of the Sun, January 14, 1998

August 1995) although the German Chancellor had been

carried a huge headline: Japan says sorry to the Sun and ainvited to the fiftieth anniversary of VE-Day (Victory inlead: Japan today makes an unprecedented plea to Sun readers

Europe, 8 May 1995). It was the issue of British prisoners

to forgive its atrocities to British prisoners in World War Two 7).

of war and civilian victims of the Japanese military during

On Page 6, above a big photo of Tony Blair and Ryutaro

the last war, especially sufferers in the labour camp. They

Hashimoto shaking hands in front of a camera and electronic

ha v e b e e n a sk i n g fo r a fu ll ap o lo g y an d fina nc ia lappliance mega shop in Shinjuku, Tokyo, another headline runs

compensation from Japan and its symbol, the Emperor ofasJapan on the occasion of his state visit to Britain once andis another way of referring to Japan. Shotoku-taishi, a Royalfor all. They saw this as the final chance because by now

Prince in ancient Japan coined this phrase in his letter to thethey were very old and many were dying.

Chinese Emperor. By this line the Sun is saying that Japan has

Japanese Premier writes for the rising Sun . The rising sun

Before visiting Japan Blair promised to renew Britain's

some, almost predestined affinity with the best selling British

demand for an apology at the meeting with Hashimoto, on

tabloid by fate and by extension with the great British people. It

the other hand he made it clear that he would not raise theis also making reference to the fact that because of theissue of financial compensation for the sufferings of former

remarkable achievement in its economy Japan was called theprisoners of war and civilian detainees.

land of the rising Yen in the English-speaking world from theAt the summit meeting with Ryotaro Hashimoto in Tokyolate 1980s. It congratulates both Britain and Japan for risingin early January 1995, Tony Blair and Alastair Campbell,

economically and hopes they can further progress in future

arguably Blair's closest and most influential aide, proposed

economic performance if the two countries keep a gooda solution 2): to write a letter in the name of the Japaneserelationship.

Prime Minister, Ryotaro Hashimoto in the Sun, a British
tabloid. It was one of the clearest cases of the political2 - 2 Hashimoto's Letter: Britain and Japan must go

communication projects by Blair - Campbell 3). According toforward together

Nicholas Jones, a BBC political correspondent, it was anopportunity for Campbell

The letter signed by Ryutaro Hashimoto starts as follows: I

to try his hand at a Sun-stylecannot recall a time when Japan's relations with Britain were so

makeover for the Japanese Prime Minister 4). Blair's stay ingood. Tony Blair and I are both determined to achieve a more

Tokyo was extended so that the officials of the twocompassionate yet efficient society and to take the toughgovernments could discuss the detailed contents and thedecisions required . The title of the letter is : Britain and Japan− 88 −

KANAYA A Study of Political Communication in British Mass Media

must go forward together , which is precisely the message

to continuing to work with him in the spirit ofHashimoto's letter wished to get across to the wide readershipfriendship and co-operation that underlines aof the Sun. It can be elaborated:

relationship I values.

Let bygones be bygones although there were times Britain

Obviously Tony Blair is the most important keyword in thisand Japan fought and soldiers killed each other, although

letter. Hashimoto is trying to boast of his closeness with Tony

Japan sided with Hitler and invaded British colonies inBlair by venturing to refer to him as Tony. Hashimoto even

South East Asia in WWII. Although British prisoners ofwrites: He (Tony Blair) is a new star on the world stage and,War suffered atrocities by Japanese military exactly in thewhether addressing our top business people or meeting themanner as the Hollywood movie, Bridge over the Kwai

people of Tokyo, he has made a huge impression which can

depicted, please accept our apology. Japan will be abenefit our relations further . We might say the road tobeneficial and friendly county to Britain forever.

friendship between Britain and Japan is paved with glittering

Together, we prosper! So please welcome our Emperor

images of Tony Blair just as all the streets in Jipang were onceand please help make our Emperor's upcoming state visit

believed to be covered with golden slates.
The second most important keyword in this letter is

to your country as an opportunity to celebrate fifty years'
friendship after the war and to pledge an everlasting future

people , which is used even more often thanfriendship.

i.e. ten times. One message is Japanese people liked Tony Blair,
your beloved Prime Minister.

Tony Blair

Tony Blair ,is liked andIn order to convey this message to the British people andadmired by Japanese ordinary people as well as Japanesepersuade them to welcome Emperor Akihito and his wife, andbusiness leaders, diplomats and politicians. He was very wellto prevent an undignified scene in London, Hashimoto calls on

received in Japan and enjoyed all kinds of hospitality andTony Blair seven times in his short letter. Hashimoto is thereby

business favours. Another message is Hashimoto cares for8)

relying on Blair's huge popularity among British voters .

ordinary British people's, or what Tony Blair has called 'real

Almost all points that Hashimoto wishes to make in order topeople's' understanding of the Anglo-Japanese relationship andbring his argument to a logical conclusion are associated with

British people's welcome to the Japanese Emperor.

Tony Blair someway or other. They include:
3. The Sun Says
1. Tony Blair and I are both determined to achieve a more

3 - 1 Kavanagh's Article
In addition to the political communication project by Blair-compassionate yet efficient society and take the toughCampbell there was support from the Sun itself. Hashimoto's

decision required.
2. ... our relations are conducted by not only politiciansletter was accompanied by a shorter article by Sun's politicaland diplomats but by real people what Tony Blair has

editor, Trevor Kavanagh, who is one of Tony Blair's andcalledAlastair Campbell's preferred journalists. Just before thepeople to people diplomacy .

3. On Tony's arrival in Japan, Toyota announced a newgeneral election of May 1997, as a result of which Blair
returned the Labour Party to power for the first time since 1979,

deal creating 300 jobs in Wales.
4. ... I made a formal statement to Tony expressing our

the Sun showed its clear support for a New Labour Government

feelings of deep remorse and heartfelt apology for theheaded by Tony Blair. From then on Blair wrote

plantedtremendous damage and suffering of that time.

articles several times in the Sun. This relationship continues

5. Nobody who has seen the welcome given to Tony Blaireven today. On 17 April 2003, in order to reach out to theby the people of Tokyo can fail to realise the strengths

British people who did not like Bush and Blair's war in Iraq,of the ties between our countries.

Blair gave an exclusive interview to Kavanagh in the backyard

6. I welcome Tony's statement that they (the Japaneseof No 10 Downing Street. Although Peter Shorthard, editor ofEmperor and Empress) would be warmly welcomed by

the Times Literary Supplement was granted an exclusive accessthe British people.

to Tony Blair, it was Prime Minister Tony Blair's first interview

7. I am looking forward, after Tony's successful visit here,

since the outbreak of Iraq War9).

− 89 −

鳥取環境大学紀要

第２号

Kavanagh started his article on the front page with a lead:

Millennium Dome.

Japan today makes an unprecedented plea to Sun readers to

Towards the end of the article Kavanagh reveals how

forgive its atrocities to British prisoners in World War Two .

Hashimoto's letter came to materialise in this manner,

This article is intended to be a short introduction to and a

exclusively in the Sun. According to it, Japan's appeal came inconvenient summary of Hashimoto's letter for busy, impatientan astonishing series of high level contacts after Tony Blair's

Sun readers. Kavanagh introduces Hashimoto's letter as

his

Summit meeting with Hashimoto in Tokyo. Japanese Ministers

first article for any newspaper in the world andanasked Kavanagh whether the Sun would take a hostile stance toextraordinary personal article in which Hashimoto admits for

the Japanese Emperor. Kavanagh's reply was that

The answer

the first time that his country caused "tremendous damage andis for the Premier to address directly to Sun readers . It is said

suffering". The accuracy of this introduction is questionable butthat the first part of summit talks between Blair and Hashimotono doubt it should sound fine as far as Sun readership is

was devoted to the problem of whether Hashimoto should write

concerned. On page 6 the Sun's political editor continues thatto the Sun or not.

once again in the Sun, for the readers of the Sun, Hashimoto
repeated his admission to Tony Blair of deep remorse and3 - 2 Sun's Editorial: We have published many uniquearticlesapology in Tokyo. Hashimoto offered Tony Blair a number of
new initiatives to heal the wounds of many people with bitter

The Sun's editorial shows that the Sun's management havememories. In Kavanagh's opinion, Hashimoto's understanding

anticipated not only the benefit to be created by thisis important and ground breaking because he understands

collaboration but the risk the political communication projectThis will not bring back the dead , Kavanagh also echoed thatby Blair and Campbell (and agreed by Hashimoto) could incur.

Tony Blair was admired by Japanese people and described as

On page 8 of the same issue the Sun put a carefully worked-

a new star on the world stage by Hashimoto.

out leading article under the title of Pay the Debt . The lead

Under a sub headline,

Jobs , Kavanagh emphasises

starts with saying that it never has published such an historic

economic and business interests involved in the Anglo-Japan

article as Japanese Prime Minister, Mr Hashimoto's

relations. Although a shared commitment to peace andextraordinary letter. It admits that many people will think it

democracy is also reiterated, it is overshadowed byjobs . In

amazing that Hashimoto chose to write in the Sun because in

retrospect this part on the vested business interests both in

the past the Sun has "often expressed such hostility over Japan's

Hashimoto's letter and Kavanagh's article seems to be a main

attitude over its war record". Traditionally the Sun was thecause of the backfire of the political communication project.

most influential Tory tabloid and has been completely behind

Hashimoto's letter lists up the business interests as follows.

the former prisoners of war and the civilian internees inJapanese labour camps.

1. There are now 60,000 Japanese living in Britain ...

Here, in advance the leading article apologises to war
veterans and their families if the Sun's decision to print

contributing to British Business ...
2. More than 250 of our companies have created tens ofHashimoto's letter offends them. The Sun is aware it is eating
its words printed many times in the paper over the last fifty

thousands of jobs in Britain.
3. Each year more than 60,000 our people visit youryears and that their editorial decision of this occasion must
appear as a betrayal in the eyes of its readers. That is why theycountry.
4. On Tony's arrival ... Toyota announced a new dealcreating more than 300 jobs in Wales.

believe they have to offer an apology to war veterans and theirfamilies in advance. It even says:

5. He also opened a new British Industry Centre in

Let us assure them it (Sun'sdecision) has not been an easy decision .

Yokohama to help British companies work in Japan.

The editorial concedes atrocities the Japanese military caused

6. We welcome British investment here as we know theand sufferings and damages British citizens received in the war
by the hands of Japanese are impossible to forgive. It,

British people welcome Japanese investment.

nonetheless, insists however difficult and however painful it
Kavanagh repeats these points and even adds that Japanese
investment probably rescue the troubled, ￡785million

might be, we, British people have to try to forget the Japanese
government for the brighter future of our children. But it does

− 90 −

KANAYA A Study of Political Communication in British Mass Medianot mean the Sun will stop the calls for compensation.

4. Blair's Letter

Therefore, the leading article also carries a title:4 - 1 Its Appeal

Pay thedebt . At the same time the Sun insured itself by showing its
willingness to listen to its readers. It asked:

On the front and the second page of 26 May, on the morning

Tell us what youof the day the Japanese Emperor and Empress were due tothink. Write or dictate or fax. Is this apology enough? Has

arrive at Heathrow from Japan via Portugal the Sun reported:Japan healed the rift or do victims need more?

Angry war veterans will defy Tony Blair today by snubbing

However, Hashimoto's letter collaborated by Campbell andJapan's Emperor Akihito during his controversial state visit .

the Sun backfired and fuelled the fierce controversy in all kinds

The Sun put Tony Blair's letter on page 6 of the same issue.

of British news media. As soon as Hashimoto's Letter was

Blair's letter was clearly a follow-up and follow-through of the

published in the Sun all the other newspapers, broadsheet,political communication project of Hashimoto's. It was also a

middle-markets and tabloid in all political persuasion joined thewell-meant but desperate intervention on the part of the British

debate and covered the development. BBCI, BBCII, ITN andgovernment as the local organiser of the state visit. Tony Blair,

Channel Four produced ambitious programmes.

after all, had invested a great deal of effort in the visit of the

In Letters to the editor of the Times on 5 May, Chairman ofJapanese Emperor. On the official visit to Tokyo Blair told

Association of British Civilian Internees - Far East Region

Hashimoto that the British people would warmly welcome thewrote:

Japanese Emperor and Empress. As is discussed above, to makeMy Organisation, together with the Japanese Labour Campit surer Alastair Campbell even persuaded Ryotaro Hashimoto,

Survivors' Association, wrote to the Japanese Ambassador

the Prime Minister to apologise in the Sun. The Headline says:

seeking an audience of Emperor...This request was

Why we must welcome the Emperor of Japan to Britain

refused...and leaves us no alternative but to demonstrate

today . Under the headline it carries the photocopy of theand protest publicly...Our Queen has been informed that no

above-discussed 14's January front page with a caption:lack of respect is intended to her...

Apology ... Hashimoto says sorry in Sun, Jan 14 10). The

He even wrote:

article is signed

Mr Peter Collier suggests that the Emperor could no moreanother big photo of Blair and longer than Hashimoto's article.

be expected to be held accountable for Japan's war crimes

The Subhead says: Visit is a vital step on the road to peace .

than the German President for the crimes of the ThirdThis is a short answer to the question Blair posed himself.

Reich; but Chancellor Willi Brant went on his knees in the

By the Prime Minister: Tony Blair

with

A longer answer is intended to be found when readers follow

Warsaw Ghetto...

bold-faced sentences in the main body of Blair's letter, which is

The Japanese side did its utmost to make the state visit a

one of the devices British tabloids invented for busy, impatient

success, or at least to prevent it being marred by thereaders. It goes as follows.

demonstration of POWs. On May 3 the Japanese Ambassador
wrote a letter to the letters to the editor of the Times. On 12
May in Tokyo Emperor Aikito and Empress Michiko held apress conference on his forthcoming state visit to Britain,
inviting many British journalists to the Imperial Palace. The
Emperor said, The war was truly regrettable and when asked
what he thought of the hostility to Japan by former prisoners of
war and their family, he answered:

It is important to put

oneself in their position and try to grasp how much pain they
suffered in their hearts . The Empress said that she and theEmperor would bear in mind

that even today some people are

1. I belong to the first generation which did not live
through the horrors of the Second World War.
2. We must not forget the past or the terrible suffering of
our POWs.
3. But I believe it would be wrong for these feelings todominate our relations with Japan.
4. It is wrong for us to perpetuate this bitterness down thegenerations.
5. Hashimoto expressed his determination to work forreconciliation between the people of Britain and Japan.

suffering from painful memories of our relations with Japan. I

6. He set in place a variety of schemes to do this.

would like to spend each day of the trip wishing that our bitter,

7. This has to be the way forward for the sake ofreconciliation, peace and prosperity of Britain andbitter history will never be repeated .

Japan as well as world as a whole.

− 91 −

Blair's message is clear and persuasive so far as this longer

鳥取環境大学紀要

第２号

A protest leader was, however, quoted as saying:Tony

4 - 2 Its Effects

answer goes. The key concept of his argument is generation.
Blair's generation and his children's generation owe a massive

Blair is a traitor. He has stabbed us all in the back. If he expects

debt to the older generation which includes the former prisoners

us to call off the demo he has misjudged our fighting spirit. Itof war. Blair's generation owes today's democratic, modern

has made us more determined to show Akihito what we think ofBritain, democratic Europe and even democratised, modern-him 14).

ised, pacified Japan to the older generation who fought against

In 1971 crowds greeted Emperor Hirohito, Akihito's father,

the tyranny of Nazism and Tennoism and made ultimate

who is widely believed to be directly responsible for the last

sacrifices for liberty and democracy. We should never forget

war in Britain, with silence. In other words, they protested

the lessons of an appalling conflict during which millions lost

silently and in a dignified manner. This time, however, thelives. Among those who suffered most were prisoners of war

crowds protested very noisily and in an undignified manner. In

and civilians captured by Japanese. It, however, does notthis regard Blair's letter and his statements through other media

amount to letting the bitter feeling of British POWs run wild

seem to have failed to persuade the British people to welcomeand jeopardise the peace and prosperity of future generations.

the Japanese Emperor and Empress. At least they failed toBlair's argument is one of the Burkians' or at least one of theprevent noisy protests by hundreds of war veterans, civilian

Whig's, which reminds us of the criticism that Blair is adetainees, their families and their supporters at almost every

11)

Conservative rather than a Labour . However, we should notplace the Japanese Royal Couple visited.

miss the importance of the concept of generation for Blair,

One day before the Sun carried Blair's letter, the Times had

which is not past-oriented but future-oriented. Either way it

put the detailed itinerary of the six day state visit by theshould have an ample appeal to the eleven million readership ofJapanese Emperor and Empress under the heading of

the traditionally Tory downmarket tabloid12).

Japanese Royal Visitin the Week's Itinerary section.

Blair does not fail to explain to Sun readers that Britain and

Therefore, as soon as they arrived in Britain, noisily protesting

Japan have their share of international problems to tackle,

war veterans and their supporters greeted them at Heathrow

which includes the threat of Saddam Hussein, rebuilding

airport. At a Wales Castle and at Westminster Abbey groups ofBosnia, protecting the environment and seeking multi-lateralnoisily protesting war veterans and their families greeted thenuclear disarmament. Drawing on his recent experiences inJapanese Royal Couple.

Tokyo Blair also tries to teach the ordinary British how

The biggest and most undignified protest was mounted at thepassionately Japanese people like all things British including

Mall. The itinerary in the Times says at 12.40 of 26 May the

British art and pubs. To show his closeness to Hashimoto, Blair

Emperor and Empress arrive at the Royal Horse Parade foraddresses Ryutaro Hashimoto by his nickname, Ryu in theformal welcome by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh,letter, by which Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi later

followed by an open carriage drive down the Mall to lunch at

ventured to reciprocate and offended his predecessor

Buckingham Palace and that the Japanese imperial couple will

Hashimoto when the former Prime Minister visited Koizumi

stay at the Palace for the remainder of their visit15). About two

and addressed him by that nickname in the Prime Minister's

thousands of Japanese nationals who lived in the UK greeted

office.

the Royal Couple with national flags and cheers in front ofBlair even explains it is impossible for the Japanese Emperor

tourists and civilians16). About one thousand protesters gathered

to make a fresh and explicit apology during his state visit tothere and boos and whistles echoed across the Mall17). There

Britain because the Emperor, just like the Queen, is above thewere naked about turns and the shouts:

political fray and is bound by protocol what he can say. Blair

Times reported that

was aware his letter to the Sun was not enough. Blair also

Family looked surprised and shocked as they rode past in theissued a statement through the BBC and other media urging

open carriage .

imperial couple .

some members of the Japanese Royal

What went wrong? In my analysis, it is not only the effect, or

British people to welcome the state visit by the Japanese13)

Go home! . The

rather the lack of a sufficient impact of Blair's letter. In the firstplace, although the initial political communication project,Hashimoto's letter, Kavanagh's article and the Sun's editorial,− 92 −

KANAYA A Study of Political Communication in British Mass Media

which were proposed, advised and coordinated by Blair andhowever, that although Hashimoto's letter and Blair's letter

Campbell, were forward looking, they put too much emphasis

virtually written by Campbell failed to call off theon the aspects of the Japanese business link with Britain.

demonstration by former prisoners of war, civilian detainees

Emphasis on jobs as well as investments in both sides are aand their families and supporters it succeeded in promoting

little too much and too concrete. They backfired and stimulated

deeper understanding in both countries by provoking heatedthe controversy over the state visit by the Japanese Royal

discussion all over Britain for more than five months.
In the next study I shall explore the roles of political advisers,

Couple.
In addition to that the Queen's decision to award the Order of
the Garter, England's highest order of chivalry to the Emperor

Alastair Campbell and his colleagues in Blair's New Labour
government and discuss the problems it involved.

of Japan, which was also advised by Prime Minister Tony Blair,further intensified the controversy. It was reported that the

Notes

Duke of Edinburgh was unhappy with Queen's decision to

I am very grateful to my colleague Mr Neil Birt, Assistantaward the Order of the Garter. He is the patron of the Burma

Professor of TUES, who kindly read the draft and gave meStar Association who served in the Far East in the last war. In

useful suggestions both on my English and argument.

1995 he marked the fiftieth anniversary of VJ-Day by marching
down the Mall with the Burma Star Association rather thanThis research was supported by a grant from the president's
research fund.

standing with the Queen. On 13 May Buckingham Palace had
to issue a strange statement:

The Duke has not expressed any

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第２号

A Study of Coherence in Political

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Nicholas Jones, Sultans of Spin, pp.175-176. Jones

Discourse: Bush's Speeches on 9.11 , Current

criticises a close and cosy relationship between Blair andEnglish Studies 42, p. 35-49

Murdoch. Also see, Paul Anderson, Nyta Mann, Safety
First: The Making of New Labour , The New Labour

Van Dijk, T. (1997) Discourse as Structure and Process, Sage
Publications, London.

Reader, Andrew Chadwick, Richard Heffernan (eds)(2003), Polity Press, Cambridge, p. 95-97
6)

The Ashahi Shinbun, WD

Alastair Campbell has been writing regularly for the press

Financial Times

under the name of Tony Blair. Ivor Gaber,

The Guardian

Lies ...and Political Spin , The New Labour Reader, , p.

Lies, Damn

The Independent

300.

The Sun7)

The Sun, 14 January 1998.

The Times and The Sunday Times

8)

Andrew Chadwick, Richard Heffernan (2003),

The Yumiuri Shinbun, WD

Introduc-

tions: The New Labour Phenomenon , The New Labour
Reader, p. 1-2

The Eikoku News Digest
9)Peter Stothard (2003), 30 Days: A Month at the Heart ofBlair's War, HarperCollins Publishers, London, p.1.The

1)

As far as home affairs were concerned, government wasSun, 18 April, 2003.

unashamed of utilising Emperor and the House of Tenno

10) The Sun, 26 May 1998.

even immediately after the end of WWII. It started with

11) David Marquand, The Blair Paradox , The New Labour

Emperor Hirohito's three-time radio broadcast on May 24,

2)

3)

Reader, p.77

1946 intended as a response to Food May Day. John

12) The Sun, 25 May 1998.

Dower (1999), Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Aftermath13) Financial Times, 26 May 1998.

of World War II, Penguin Book, London, pp.263-265.

14) The Sun, 26 May 1998.

Peter Hennessy (1999), The Blair Centre: a question of

15) The Times, 25 May 1998.

command and control?, Public Management Foundation,16) The Asahi Shinbun, WD, 27 May 1998.

London, p.9.

17) The Times, 27 May 1998. The Eikoku News Digest, 28
May 1998.

Colin Seymour-Ure (2003), Prime Ministers and theMedia, Blackwell Publishing, Oxford, p.158.

18) The Times, 14 May 1998.

（2003 年 12 月 17 日受理）

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