Japan Press Weekly

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2016 March 2 - 8 [POLITICS]

LDP feels threatened by a face-off between LDP/Komei and citizens

The agreement on electoral cooperation made among the Japanese Communist Party, the Democratic Party of Japan, the Innovation Party, the Social Democratic Party, and the People’s Life Party based on the common ground to repeal the war laws has shocked the Liberal Democratic-Komei coalition government.

Prime Minister Abe Shinzo during an LDP fundraising party held on March 2 expressed his anxiety over the outlook of confrontation with the opposition parties united. He said, “The ‘LDP/Komei versus DPJ/JCP’ picture has come into focus. We must fight back.”

At another fundraising party, LDP Policy Research Council Chair Inada Tomomi expressed alarm by saying, “Who our party is challenging to a fight is not a weak-kneed opposition party. It is the JCP, a powerful opposition party.” She pointed to the JCP as the target to divide the unity among the five opposition parties.

In contrary to her expectations, the opposition force is advancing its joint struggle rather than splitting up. For example in the Miyagi constituency, all the five opposition parties have agreed to support a joint candidate to confront an LDP rival head-on. In other single-seat electoral districts, cooperation among the five has also been moving forward.

Sophia University Professor Miura Mari stated that the opposition parties’ joint struggle is not just a “marriage of convenience” because the strong push by citizens has moved the opposition parties to unite for the revocation of the security legislation.

Miura said, “It won’t be easy to defeat the LDP/Komei coalition. To face off against them, the citizens and the opposition parties should band together even more. The upcoming House of Councilors election will be a major milestone for whether the public and the opposition parties can block the destruction of constitutionalism.”

Former Mayor of Shiroishi City in Miyagi Prefecture, Kawai Teiichi who now heads a mayors’ group supporting Article 9 said, “Grassroots movements developed by many college students, mothers, and political activists have made the opposition coalition possible. This is what democracy looks like. So, criticizing this democratic coalition is just another negative campaign ploy by the LDP and Komei.”