The age-old adage “If you work hard, you will be rewarded” often shines with a glimmer of hope.

Yet this deeply rooted belief in a direct link between effort and reward can cut both ways.

In certain contexts, it risks turning into a blunt instrument of judgment—morphing into a harsh narrative of personal responsibility that implies: “If you’re struggling, it must be because you haven’t worked hard enough.”

I witnessed this dynamic firsthand while covering the 2019 Upper House election. Our reporting team traveled across the country, speaking with voters who supported the ruling Liberal Democratic Party under then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

When we asked, “What are your thoughts on poverty?” many LDP supporters........

© The Asahi Shimbun