Why are LDP and DPJ lawmakers in a rush to form joint parliamentary groups?

   Whereas the FY 2008 budget bill is up in the air, politicians of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the opposition Democratic Party are in a rush to form cross-party parliamentary groups.

   On March 4, the Parliamentarian Group for a New Constitution, consisting of 191 advocates of constitutional revision, held its general meeting and elected a new leadership that includes current and former DPJ leadership members. (See separate item)

  In his speech at the meeting, former Prime Minister Nakasone Yasuhiro as the group’s chair said: “Participation by Dietmembers in this meeting from different parties demonstrates that there exists great enthusiasm in favor of constitutional revision.”

   The budget debate in the House of Councilors Budget Committee has stalled due to the Democratic Party’s protest against the LDP’s use of their majority to railroad through the budget bill in the House of Representatives. DPJ Diet affairs chief Yamaoka Kenji said that the DPJ will not agree to open the budget discussion in the House of Councilors at least for one week. Given the DPJ’s uncompromising stance regarding parliamentary steering, the cross-party assemblage of advocates of constitutional revision is very extraordinary.

   On March 3, another group was formed by about 100 politicians who advocate a “two-party system”. The group was named Sentaku (which means both ‘choice’ and ‘cleaning’) Parliamentary League. It is co-chaired by former education minister Kawamura Takeo (LDP) and former DPJ Diet affairs chief Noda Yoshihiko. It will work in cooperation with a group of prefectural governors and business leaders called the “National Alliance for Cleaning Japan in the Interests of the Communities and Residents.”

   Other politicians in the Sentaku Parliamentary League include Sonoda Hiroyuki (acting policy research council chair) and Suga Yoshihide (Internal Affairs and Communications Minister) of the LDP, and Okada Katsuya and Maehara Seiji (both incumbent deputy representative and former representative) of the DPJ.

   Although the parliamentary group’s initiators had expected that the group would be joined by about 70 people, more than 100 lawmakers joined the Sentaku group. Observers feel that these politicians might have in mind a possible political realignment.

   Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Aso Taro, who is seeking to grab his party’s presidency, and DPJ Secretary General Hatoyama Yukio are members of the Parliamentary League for the Promotion of IT at National and Local Governments.

   Commenting on these explicit moves apparently aimed at establishing a two-party system in Japan, the “supreme advisor” to the DPJ Watanabe Kozo has stated: “I am sure that a political realignment will be a major item on the agenda after the next general election. Keeping this in mind, it is no wonder that LDP and DPJ politicians have close contacts with each other.”

   Yamasaki Taku, former LDP vice president, also referred to the possible move toward a “grand coalition” of the LDP and the DPJ in a post-election political realignment. He was quoted as saying, “Amendments to the Constitution take a two-thirds majority in the Diet. This cannot happen without a grand coalition. Other issues like raising the consumption tax rate will also need a grand coalition.”

   This is how plans for a “grand coalition” or a “political alignment” are discussed in connection with key national policies such as the enactment of a permanent law for the overseas deployment of the Self-Defense Forces, constitutional revision, and a consumption tax increase.

   Despite their effort to play up a “confrontation between the LDP and the DPJ,” the actual moves of these two parties toward a “grand coalition” and a “political realignment” show that that the two parties are like-minded.

- Akahata, March 6, 2008