Election of Koizumi adds a historic episode to LDP's decline -- Akahata editorial, April 25, 2001

Former Health and Welfare Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro, who won a landslide victory in the preliminary elections in prefectures, has been elected new LDP president.

The latest LDP presidential election came at a time when the traditional LDP support base is going into a historic decline. With former Prime Minister Hashimoto Ryutaro's defeat, the dominant Hashimoto faction (formerly Keiseikai) has lost its grip on the LDP. This is proof of how deep and extensive the LDP decline is.

Keiseikai has lost control

Keiseikai is the largest LDP faction with a membership of 101 which accounts for 30 percent of all LDP members in the Diet. The faction's first leader was Tanaka Kakuei, who increased his political clout through "votes and money" and controlled the LDP with the notion that, "Politics needs numbers, and numbers mean strength." The thing is, this doctrine can no longer be valid within the ruling party, which is really a historic turning point for the LDP.

This signifies not only a loss of Keiseikai's grip on the LDP but a process in which the political framework of the LDP is collapsing.

Many rank-and-file members and associates of the LDP have refused to be involved with Keiseikai's election campaigns which coerce them into vote getting activities under the control of general contractor construction companies, large corporations, and affiliate organizations.

The generous measures benefitting major banks and general contractor construction companies have victimized the nation's economy and the people's livelihood in the worst ever economic recession and have proved to be ineffective for economic recovery. Still, the government is not willing to take steps to increase personal consumption as an essential first step toward recovery. The people's rejection of such politics is getting stronger, and is beginning to have its effect on the LDP.

Former Prime Minister Hashimoto Ryutaro was considered the most hopeful candidate for the LDP presidency, but he was rejected as being "inept." This was natural because he is to blame for the 9 trillion yen (74 billion dollars) burden he imposed on the people, causing the present major economic recession.

Koizumi won a landslide because local LDP members who are acutely aware of the people's severe criticism of the LDP had no choice other than laying their modest expectations on Koizumi, who promised to "change the LDP" to make a "fresh start."
The people's anger at LDP politics is so strong that it has broken its controlling structure.

Koizumi has won a sweeping victory. But the gap between what the people are expecting and what is taking place on the ground is extreme. His views are strictly within the framework of failed LDP politics which the people want changed.

Koizumi during the LDP presidential campaign insisted that there is "no economic recovery without structural reforms." This means an economic policy of using an enormous amount of tax money for helping the major banks dispose of bad loans as early as possible. The policy is one of asking the people to continue to endure such pains as unemployment, a sharp increase in the number of bankruptcies, and social security program cuts.

Koizumi over and over again has called for the right to collective self-defense for Japan and a popular vote for electing the prime minister. This is a dangerous move because it has to do with expanding the scope of Japan's use of military force and adversely revising the Constitution.

He intends to boldly proceed with what the LDP hitherto has had to stop short of doing, such as a "structural reform" and hawkish policies which the LDP has always wanted but hesitated to do in fear of contradictions growing sharper with the people.

Unpainted face will soon appear

Although the LDP character was severely criticized in connection with the KSD corruption scandal, Koizumi made no mention of a ban on donations from corporations and organizations which are the hotbed of political corruption. What does he mean by "a fresh start by destroying the old LDP system."

Koizumi shows no policy for changing LDP politics.

The LDP may be able to hide itself temporarily by changing its cover page, but its true color will soon come to the front. As long as the people's expectations and Koizumi's politics are far apart from each other, contradictions will became sharper. (end)