Parties must explain what they envisage for politics after removing LDP-Komei government from power

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Parties must explain what they envisage for politics after removing LDP-Komei government from power

Akahata editorial

Political parties on August 18 officially began a 12-day campaign for the House of Representatives election. With the focus of their campaign shifting to a post-Liberal Democratic-Komei politics, what did party leaders say in their kick-off speeches?

Who envisages a country the majority of the people needs?

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo started canvassing in Tokyo's downtown district of Shinjuku. In a powerful speech, he appealed to voters to help to increase the number of JCP members in the Diet, stressing that the JCP is a party that has been in a head-on confrontation with the LDP-Komei government. He then set out the main tasks that a new government replacing the LDP-Komei government should implement.

Shii called for an "economy governed by rules" to protect people's livelihoods and basic rights and an "independent diplomacy for peace" guided by Article 9 of the Constitution. What he proposed is moving away from the "policy that gives priority to the interests of business circles and the military alliance with the United States" to establish a "people-first" policy in line with the constitutional principle that "sovereignty rests with the people." In short, he showed a direction that a new government should move forward.

To secure the fiscal resources to achieve this goal, Shii emphasized the need to eliminate wasteful uses of tax money through reducing military expenditures and instituting a progressive tax system forcing large corporations and the wealthy to pay more in taxes in accordance with their ability to pay.

Unlike Shii, who clearly presented "what Japan should become," other political party leaders, the ruling and the opposition alike, failed to present to the public clear visions of the future. Even on the question of fiscal resources, the LDP avoided touching on its plan to increase the consumption tax although its election platform states that it will. As for the DPJ, it did not say anything about how to ensure ways and means for what it promises to do.

In his speech near Hachioji City in Tokyo, Prime Minister Aso Taro characterized North Korea as "a clear threat" to national security, and said, "We need to be concerned most about the defense of our nation before dealing with people's livelihoods."

In Aso's view, all that Japan should do is counter North Korea militarily by relying on the military alliance with the United States without taking into account efforts by the United Nations or the Six-Party Talks that seek a diplomatic resolution of the North Korean issue.

Worse still, Aso said nothing about the elimination of nuclear weapons even though there is a global movement pushing for the realization of that goal, especially in the aftermath of U.S. President Obama's Prague speech calling for "a world without nuclear weapons". If the LDP-Komei coalition, which is ignoring this global trend, remains in power, Japan will certainly be isolated from the international community.

Although Aso in his remarks used the word, "sense of security" or "responsibility", he mentioned nothing about the need to end the Koizumi "structural reform" policy and expressed no regret about destroying people's livelihoods.

"A society in which people feel secure about their lives", the main pillar of the LDP's election manifesto, cannot be created without establishing rules to defend people's livelihoods and basic rights.

If Aso wants to use the rhetoric of "security" to appeal to voters, he should immediately surrender power to the new political forces replacing the LDP-Komei coalition.

Increasing the number of seats of a 'constructive opposition party' is essential

In his speech in Osaka, DPJ President Hatoyama Yukio called for change in political power by stressing the need to get rid of the influence of bureaucracy on government policies. However, he stopped short of calling for an end to the LDP-Komei government's pro-business policies and subservience to the Japan-U.S. military alliance.

Although the DPJ is criticized for failing to give any fiscal assurances to implement its policy proposals such as the distribution of the child allowance, Hatoyama did not say anything about it.

The DPJ-led government will be unable to move away from LDP politics without taking a stance to change its political direction.

As a 'constructive opposition party' that will cooperate in agreed policies and opposes policies against people's interests, an increase in the number of JCP seats will be the power needed to move Japanese politics in a new direction.

- Akahata, August 19, 2009