日本官員閃辭 都是血型惹的禍?

Forced to quit after barely a week as Japan's reconstruction minister for remarks deemed offensive to victims of the March earthquake and tsunami, Ryu Matsumoto had an unusual explanation for his behavior -- his blood type.

由於失言冒犯日本三月地震和海嘯災民，日本復興擔當大臣松本龍上任僅一週時間就被迫辭職。但他給自己的過失找了一個不同尋常的藉口--“都是血型惹的禍”。

"My blood's type B, which means I can be irritable and impetuous, and my intentions don't always come across," he said Tuesday after his resignation.

他在本週二辭職後說：“我是B型血，這意味着我容易煩躁和衝動，我的本意經常被誤解。”

"My wife called me earlier to point that out. I think I need to reflect about that."

“我太太之前打電話指出了這一點，我想我應該好好反省。”

Matsumoto was tapping intoa widespread belief in Japan that blood types correspond to various character traits.

日本人普遍認爲血型與不同的性格特點有關。松本龍把失言歸咎於血型正是利用了人們的這種心理。

Japan's fascination with blood types began in the early 20th century and is similar to the belief in astrologyand horoscopes. Many Japanese believe their blood type can foretell success in romance and the suitability for jobs.

早在20世紀初，日本人就開始熱衷於血型，這與迷信占星術和星座類似。很多日本人相信根據血型能預測愛情能否成功、工作是否合適。

It's not uncommon for the subject to come up in conversation, sometimes as explanation for an action, and a directoryof members of parliament lists the blood types of many, along with their home towns and hobbies.

日本人談及血型並不罕見，有時也以此解釋某種行爲。除籍貫和愛好外，國會議員的通訊錄中也列出了很多人的血型。

Many Japanese, however, said it was not an acceptable reason for Matsumoto's behavior on a trip to the devastated northern region, during which he told a prefecturegovernor the government would not help communities that failed to come up with ideas to help themselves.

很多日本民衆無法接受松本龍拿血型做失言的藉口。松本龍前往日本北部走訪地震重災地區時失言冒犯災民。他當時告訴當地的一位地方官，稱地方政府必須自己想辦法，否則中央政府不會出手相助。

Speaking before TV cameras, Matsumoto reprimandedthe governor for keeping him waiting and then ordered journalists not to report the exchange or else their media outlets would suffer.

松本龍在接受電視臺採訪時，斥責地方官讓他空等，隨後禁止記者報道這段談話，聲稱否則媒體會有麻煩。

People with type B blood are believed to be stubborn, impulsive and cold, although they are also seen as practical, and Matsumoto's explanation was greeted with derision.

B型血的人雖然比較務實，但性格頑固、衝動、冷漠。松本龍的這一解釋引來了嘲笑。

"He should apologize to all other Type Bs," said one user of a Web chat forum.

一位網友在論壇上說：“他應該向所有B型血的人道歉。”

Matsumoto's resignation delivered a fresh blow to unpopular Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who is a blood type O -- believed to be sociable and energetic but flighty, able to easily start projects but then give them up just as fast.

松本龍的辭職讓原本就不受歡迎的菅直人政府雪上加霜。菅直人是O型血，該血型的特點是善於社交、精神充沛，但性格浮躁，而且做事三分鐘熱度。