Translation Corner #20

Today's keyword is about the Minister of Defense, Hiroki. He was the guy that appeared in episode 5 (and the first chapter of the manga) who died at the hands of Fine's American goon squad.









Minister of Defense Hiroki

He was a person who understood the good of Special Disaster Response Team Division 2, but he lost his life in an attack that occurred while he was traveling with his official convoy. 

After the attack was committed, several communist revolutionary groups claimed responsibility, but it was determined this was just a move made by each group to appeal to their supporters. It can be surmised that the real criminal was actually someone else. 

Hiroki was well-known as a proponent of the revision of Article 9, a move that he supported from its inception. The revision would have changed Division 2 and the Symphogear system from a government secret into a public force, allowing them to act freely in the public eye. 

At this time, due to the large number of nearby Noise outbreaks and evidence of a hacking attempt made on headquarters, not only has Division 2's research division begun an investigation, but the public police force has as well. 


You might remember that in episode 5 Genjuurou spoke of Hiroki as a benefactor to Division 2 who represented them in the government, but also kept Division 2 from becoming too powerful. He seemed pretty level-headed for a politician, at least what little we saw of him. Anyway, I always figured that Fine had him killed for a number of reasons: 1) to get the government to approve more funding so she could build Kadingir 2) to manipulate and steal the plans for the transfer of Durandal and 3) to distract Division 2 with details of the assassination while she completed her plans. The only thing I ever wondered was how she got the Americans to agree to kill him - it would seem like killing a foreign official would be a big risk, especially in a country that the US is on good terms with (I'm assuming). It's hard to say exactly how Fine manipulated the American government, but they seemed to be aware that Japan held a power that they did not fully understand. My best guess is that Fine probably told them that killing the Minister of Defense would allow her to steal technology for them, or perhaps prevent the Japanese from becoming more powerful.