Japan Press Weekly

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2012 August 29 - September 4 [POLITICS]

To cut parliamentary seats could allow abuse of power

Akahata “Current” column

With reflection of the monarchy system in which the ruler assumed full power and infringed on the people’s rights, the democratic political system emerged in the modern era as a framework to guarantee people’s human rights and prevent the abuse of power.

The key to ensure democratic politics is a parliament where representatives of citizens meet. In order to avoid the abusive use of power, the separation of the 3 pillars of government as well as other frameworks were created. However, some still try to take advantage of the parliamentary system in order to gain dictatorial power.

Paul Joseph Goebbels, Minister of Propaganda in the Nazi Party in Germany, said, “We enter parliament in order to supply ourselves, in the arsenal of democracy, with its own weapons. If democracy is so stupid as to give us free tickets and salaries for this bear’s work, that is its affair.” Taking advantage of public dissatisfaction, the Nazi Party won elections and rushed to create a dictatorship.

The present political system of Japan has the Diet as the “highest organ of state power.” It can legislate, choose the prime minister, propose constitutional amendments, and plays the role of watching those with power and prevent them from abusing the power. If the number of parliamentarians is to be drastically cut, the present roles of the “highest organ of state power” will be diminished.

Osaka’s regional party “Ishin-no-Kai,” led by Osaka Mayor Hashimoto Toru, aspires to become a national party and slash House of Representatives seats by half. The remark of Hashimoto, “Rules must be established to allow policies to be endorsed through coercion,” is dangerously similar of that of Goebbels.