The Reality Facing Japanese Politics
September 19, 2007 (Wednesday)
Two days after his policy speech Prime Minister Abe suddenly announced his intent to resign, and Japanese politics temporarily stopped functioning and was sent into disorder.
Prime Minister Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party suffered a disastrous loss in the Upper House elections, but he quickly announced his resolve to remain in office and reshuffled the cabinet, gave a policy speech in the autumn diet session, and in doing so showed a strong desire to carry on with his administration. His resignation therefore came as a great surprise and disappointment to concerned parties.
After announcing his resignation at a press conference in the official prime minister residence, Prime Minister Abe immediately checked into the Keio University Hospital claiming ill-health. As a result, policy debate has been suspended despite the fact that the diet is in session, and a state of political vacuum continues.
There is no question that Prime Minister Abe’s sudden resignation came as a great surprise not only to those in Japan, but to concerned parties around the world. Just prior to his policy speech Prime Minister Abe attended the APEC summit in Australia, and had resolutely declared his desire to continue refueling the ships of various countries engaged in anti-terrorism activities in the India Ocean, even laying his job on the line to extend the special anti-terrorism bill that expires in November. The shock and dismay that spread among leaders and concerned parties around the world were thus considerable.
To fill the prime minister vacancy, an election will be held to decide the new party president of the LDP on September 23. Former chief cabinet secretary Yasuo Fukuda, who has successfully garnered the support of a large number of factions, is considered the clear frontrunner.
The current domestic and international climate, however, is unforgiving towards the political vacuum and stagnant policy in Japan. Domestically, while the economy is in a gradual recovery swing, the budget deficit is also becoming increasingly serious and the social security system, beginning with pensions, is effectively in a state of structural crisis. The overall economy may be improving, but the economies of sparsely-populated regions are stagnating, and national socioeconomic disparity continues to widen.
Internationally, as various countries fight the threat of lurking terrorism, Japan, which is constitutionally bound to provide military cooperation, is being commended for its extremely limited contribution of fuel provision in the Indian Ocean. Japan’s ability as a nation to maintain the trust of the global society depends on whether the special anti-terrorism bill will be extended and continued.
The Democratic Party of Japan, which enjoyed overwhelming victory in the Upper House elections, has taken up the domestic issue of economic disparity and is promoting typical pork-barrel policy in the form of individual income security for farmers. The DPJ asserts that rationalizing the flow of subsidies into regional economies will maintain the pension budget, a fantasy that is lacking in real foundation. It has put forward irresponsible policy that would put a stop to Japan’s logistical support in the Indian Ocean, claiming that it is not backed by a formal UN resolution.
The election results are more about self-destruction on the part of the Abe Administration, which was plagued by scandals, and less about a victory by the DPJ. The consequence is that a gnarled and confused phenomenon has taken root in the Lower and Upper Houses, a fact that will remain unchanged regardless of what happens over the next three years. The situation, both at home and abroad, is becoming tense amidst a climate that will not forgive a political vacuum or stagnating policy.
I would like to see the new LDP administration face the political difficulties immediately at hand, and show leadership to citizens by boldly sticking to the correct paths of economic reform and international cooperation. Meanwhile, the DPJ should bring the tactics it used only to win the election back to the drawing board, come up with legitimate strategies and visions, and sincerely convey to citizens exactly what it intends to accomplish.