Japan Has Many "Velvet Fists in Iron Gloves" 日本は「内柔外剛」型

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I learned the phrase "an iron fist (hand) in a velvet glove" from the CEO of the company which I used to work for. He said one day when we were heading to a conference room that he always wanted to be "an iron fist in a velvet glove." I believe he was. He did what he had to do without yelling at anybody. He always smiled as far as I remember. Japanese employees who first presumed him to be only a young, inexperienced foreigner and therefore to have no guts to take any bold actions, just staying in Japan for a few years and moving to another country, were shocked by a series of measures he took to reorganize the company.  

Having an iron fist in a velvet glove in Japan, however, is difficult because Japanese men should not show their teeth😁 to others. "If you're a man, don't smile." That's what Japanese boys were told and still often are told. No smiling or crying. And that's why Prime Minister Suga and other Japanese politicians don't smile, i.e., always look grumpy, like Trump, Putin, Xi Jinping, and leaders of non-democratic countries, as if showing their smiling faces would ruin their political careers.    

My dad, a Japanese man with a black belt in judo, is one such person, i.e., a typical elderly Japanese man, always making every effort to look angry or grumpy to maintain what he believes is dignity as a father or a man. So, it surprised me when he said out of the blue that he was jealous of someone who had an iron fist in a velvet glove. It was the first time he revealed his honest feelings to me. By the way, my mom also has a velvet fist in an iron glove. These days they've been punching at each other with iron gloves😓.

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昔、父が「外柔内剛な人が羨ましい」と言ってました。「外柔内剛」って「an iron fist in a velvet glove（ビロードの手袋に包まれた鉄拳）」のことですね。以前勤めていた会社の外国人CEOが「an iron fist in a velvet glove」でありたいと言ってました。整理すると下のようになります。

外柔内剛　an iron fist in a velvet glove（ビロードの手袋に包まれた鉄拳）

逆にすると：内柔外剛　a velvet fist in an iron glove（鉄の手袋に包まれたビロードの拳）

日本人には父を含め「内柔外剛（a velvet fist in an iron glove）」が多いように思います。菅総理然り、森元総理然り。プーチンさんや習近平さんもかな？「笑ったら損する」と思ってるのかと勘ぐってしまうくらい、いつも不機嫌な顔をしています。

民主主義国家は「外柔内剛（an iron fist in a velvet glove）」、非民主国家（日本を含め）は「内柔外剛（a velvet fist in an iron glove）」な気がしています。

ちなみに母も「内柔外剛」です。自分も気を付けます｡｡｡

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