Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2011 August 24 - 30 [POLITICS]

DPJ presidential race: N-power promoters desperate for Ozawa’s support

“What a farce. No one talks about their policies.” “I rather want to hear their policy debates, like their vision for a future Japan, than what’s going on with Ozawa.” These comments were posted on the Internet site Twitter about the presidential election of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, which is scheduled for August 29. Without having discussions on nuclear power generation or other key issues, all candidates in the presidential race are busy trying to collect votes from their party colleagues.

Counting on Ozawa’s influence

Former Foreign Minister Maehara Seiji said last September, criticizing the DPJ’s heavyweight Ozawa Ichiro for announcing his candidacy for the last presidential race, that “it has been only several months since Mr. Ozawa took responsibility over his money-for-politics issue.”

Maehara is regarded by the media as the front-runner of the upcoming election. On August 24, one year after he made the remark, Maehara visited Ozawa’s office asking for Ozawa’s support to him in the DPJ’s leader election.

In March, Maehara resigned as foreign minister following the revelation that he had received donations from a non-Japanese resident of Japan and a member of an underworld group in violation of the Political Funds Control Law. It has been only several months since he took responsibility over his own scandal.

In terms of counting on Ozawa’s influence, there is not much difference between Maehara and his election rivals, including Finance Minister Noda Yoshihiko and Industry Minister Kaieda Banri.

In a speech he made on August 18, Minister Noda praised Ozawa by describing him as “still being at the center of the political field with his rare personality and strong power.”

The only voters in the coming DPJ presidential election are its Diet members. The candidates obviously want the votes of about 120 members of a group led by Ozawa, the largest faction in the party.

Ozawa himself does not have voting rights in this election since his party membership has been suspended due to his indictment over his political funds scandal. Nevertheless, he is acting like a kingmaker of the presidential race.

Losing public trust

As someone said this on Twitter, “It is extraordinary that the DPJ’s poll does not even question the candidates’ stance on nuclear power generation. They totally make a fool of citizens.” They have no difference to debate on this issue: all the candidates are promoters of atomic power.

In announcing his candidacy on August 23, Maehara stated, “I believe many Japanese people have lost their trust in politics.” The DPJ presidential candidates’ election race without sincere policy debates will only deepen citizens’ political mistrust.