Andy Warhol predicted that in the future everybody would be famous for 15 minutes. The Japanese are perfecting an even more egalitarian system under which everybody gets to spend 15 minutes as prime minister. Admittedly, it is still a work in progress. Naoto Kan has already clung on to the premiership for an unseemly three months. But with a little luck Ichiro Ozawa will defeat him in party elections later this month, edging Japan ever closer towards its 15-minute target.
安迪•沃霍尔(Andy Warhol)曾预言说,未来每个人都能成名15分钟。而日本实行一种更加平均主义的体制——每个人都能做15分钟首相。需要承认的是,这个体制尚在日臻完善的过程中。菅直人(Naoto Kan)已经不体面地在首相的位置上恋栈了3个月,但在本月中旬的党内选举中,小泽一郎(Ichiro Ozawa)只要稍有运气就能击败菅直人,把日本朝向15分钟的目标再推进一步。