My opinion of this week(593):
Two poor prime ministers
Following to the sudden resignation of the then prime minister of Shinzo
Abe, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda announced his resignation suddenly
from his position on Monday. It was really a big surprise. Those two
resignation is very similar each others. Both were badly blamed for the
reason that two prime ministers are very irresponsible for throwing away
such very important position as the top leader of the nation without any
definite reasons.
It was found out later that Shinzo Abe's resignations was the result of
his illness he suffered at that time. We can be sympathetic about it in
a way. However, in the case of Yasuo Fukuda, there exists no such excuse
at all. He even confirmed he is quite healthy all right. Then what is the
reason for his resignation?
No reasons, no excuse, what so ever. It seems that all he has to do is to
protect his pride. He did not want to become the last prime minister of
Liberal Democratic Party. Provided that the general election is done by his
own hand , it is very possible that LDP would lose power replaced by
Democratic Party of Japan. He gave up proceeding the election by his
cabinet and let Tarou Aso, next Prime Minister to be, dissolve the Lower
House and proceed the election soon or later.
He justified himself such process for his own not for people of Japan. He told
his fellow Liberal Democratic Party members in the Diet on Wednesday he was
sorry about his surprise decision to step down. He did not mention any
apologies to people of Japan at press conference on Monday when he announced
his resignation.
His resignation is not for the people of the country but for his party. He
was looking for the best time to announce his resignation. It was found
out that Ichirou Ozawa would be elected to the new representative of
Democratic of Japan without any election on September 21. After Fukuda's
resignation at this timing, there would be a kind of big election to elect
new president of LDP which would attract major interest of people by mass
media. On the other hand, there would rise only a little interest for the
selection of representative of DPJ. This would provide very favorable
condition for LDP without any doubt.
Prime Minister Fukuda was quite right. Since his announcement of resignation
interest of mass media have been concentrated on the election to be held at
LDP. Several candidates, probably almost more than five candidates announced
that they would stand for election. All of their intention is to show how
LDP is opened and democratic party compared with DPJ which select their
representative without any election campaign.
Yes, LDP's strategies and tactics seem to be very excellent. Mass media's
attention are now concentrated around LDP's election of the president of
the party rather than DPJ's selection of the representative of the party.
I feel very sorry for seeing this situation. I remember the general election
made in fall three years ago by the then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
The election was made just like a TV diorama. No manifests or policies of
the nation was not quite important. The main topics was only about
privatization of postal services. LDP made a land slide victory in the
election which was a start of the serious stagnant situation of Japanese
politics today.
We must avoid the same thing will happen again in coming general election.
It is obvious that LDP has lost their power as political party. Two such poor
prime ministers appeared in the past two years. That is the obvious evidence of
it.
The only way to reestablish normal politics in Japan is to attain the change
of power by DPJ in coming general election which is expected at the soonest
possible time.
2008/9/6
Tadashi HAYASE
My opinion of this week(594):
Is NHK a public broadcasting media?
In the evening of Wednesday, I was surprised to watch NHK's TV news
at 7 o'clock. The news started with the introduction of five candidates
for LDP's president election. The purpose was to start debating policies
by five candidates in this news time.
There was really no serious discussion on political premises or policies
which five candidates share. All five candidates repeated some kind of
abstract policy debate during the whole session. There was no concrete policy
discussion at all. I don't understand what difference there exist among
policy of those five candidates.
They don't argue each other almost at all. All of those five attack DPJ
(Democratic Party of Japan) more than each others. They criticized ''Ozawa
Democratic Party of Japan'' as they called that way.
That's fine indeed, if it is in the general election time which may start
soon after the election of LDP president. The debate should be made for the
election of LDP president not for the general election. There were no men
representing DPJ at all in that debate time. That is not fair that debate
was made that way.
The news caster who handled the show did not stop that practice of five
candidates. He should try to let five candidates mention about their
political arguments first rather than criticism about their opponents
who have no chance to answer any of such criticism at that time. That is
not fair and appropriate practice at all.
Following to this news show, NHK broadcasted again debating of five
candidates on Friday sponsored by Tokyo Press Club. It lasted two hours.
It may be only NHK, a public broadcasting corporation that can broadcast
such debating program for long hours.
The discussion at this time looked a little better than the previous
one. Each candidates tried to say a little more about their own ideas and
policies. But There were again no any serious and hot arguments on various
important political themes each others.
It seems that they tried to avoid to create any serious and important
difference in their thesis. They could not do it for the general election
would start soon or later. They put more emphasis on criticizing their
enemies DPJ again. Tarou Asou who will surely become next President of
LDP and Prime Minister of Japan, implied his intention of selecting
those four other his competitors for his cabinet members. Why did he say
that at this very critical moment? No, it is not critical moment at all.
It is obvious that all is set for coming general election.
Well, I don't blame it. It is a strategies or tactics of LDP to win in
coming general election. But if so, why did NHK, a public broadcasting
media, offered such a big favor for one political party? They have
not reported much about the selection of DPJ president on the other hand
only for the reason that there was no election as such made in LDP.
It obviously lacked the balance of fairness as a public media. Some of
those listeners of NHK who support opposition parties could say no
to pay NHK's viewing fees for such unfair treatment of political matters.
2008/9/13
Tadashi HAYASE
My opinion of this week(595)
Hollowing out of LDP's Presidential Election
Yesterday morning, I wrote BLOG article about LDP's Presidential Election
which is going on at the moment. The election itself is a tactics for LDP
to improve adverse wind for ruling parties in coming general election
expected to be done in early November. Prime Minister Fukuda announced his
resignation suddenly in the beginning of September and that created a serious
blow against ruling fronts.
It must be Fukuda's idea itself to conduct a general election after making
a new cabinet headed by Tarou Asou who is very popular among Japanese general
public. Conducting presidential election in LDP becomes a big and effective
political campaign preparing for coming general election. Such a strategy
was a general consensus in LDP and the presidential election started a week
ago participated by five candidates including favorite candidate Tarou Asou.
Such strategy seemed to work out fine at the beginning. Interest of mass media
were concentrated into the developments of the election of LDP. There were
only a little reports on what were going on at opposition fronts especially
at Democratic Party of Japan.
But compared with former presidential election of LDP, people seemed to look
such election campaign of LDP a little differently at this time. Many more
people seemed to evaluate such election campaign with more critical look.
Many more people seem to begin to consider the possibility of change of power
in coming general election. Many more people start having some serious
concerns about capacity of ruling fronts now in power. The achievements of two
cabinets, i.e. Abe and Fukuda were such poor ones as a matter of fact.
When contaminated rice case was disclosed a few weeks ago, I felt that would
become a serious blow for Fukuda Cabinet. The case of record alteration of
pension plans at Social Insurance Agency was also disclosed , that will
surely become a big issue from now on. The collapse of Lehman Brothers in US
created a serious concerns worldwide including Japan, of course. Kaoru Yosano,
Ministry of Economy and Finance was obliged to come back to Tokyo, giving up
to attend election campaign at local cities together with other four
candidates.
The election campaign itself now become almost meaningless because Tarou Asou
has already got majority vote for the election.
Timing was so exact. As I wrote at the top of this article, I wrote LDP's
Presidential Election has already lost its importance in my BLOG yesterday
morning. The fact was intensified in the afternoon when resignation of two
key men at Ministry of Agriculture was announced. The news was another big
blow for the Presidential Election for LDP.
Facing to such serious situation, all concerns for ruling fronts is how soon
the general election will be held after appointment of Tarou Asou to new
Prime Minister. Many ruling parties' member expect early election as soon
as possible. Tarou Asou who will be next Prime Minister said the election
should be held after they prepare supplemental budgets to promote economy.
From my point of view, however, it makes only a little difference any way.
The general election will be made at least in next two months. I sincerely
expect that DPJ will take over the power in next general election.
That is only and definite way to change Japanese politics and society in
the long run.
2008/9/20
Tadashi HAYASE
My opinion of this week(596):
Hereditary politics in Japan
The new Asou cabinet was born on Wednesday. Mass media reported a lot
about background and qualification of new cabinet members. Reputation
about the new cabinet is generally not so good. One major reason for it
is that there are so many hereditary Diet members in the cabinet.
It is surprised to see that eleven members out of total 18 cabinet
members are so called hereditary lawmakers who succeeded their electorates
from their fathers or grand fathers. Their fathers or grand fathers were
all famous and important politicians in government and ruling Liberal
Democratic Party. Four cabinet members including Prime Minister Tarou Aso
share the great name of Prime Minister of Japan, such as Shigeru Yoshida,
Ichirou Hatoyama, Keizo Obuchi, and Yasuhiro Nakasone.
This is not a very specific phenomenon about Aso Cabinet. Such phenomenon
are also true with Abe and Fukuda cabinet as a matter of fact. This is one
of typical phenomenon about Japanese politics. I wonder if there exists
the same kind of phenomena in other democratic countries in the word. I
don't think so. This is obviously an unfavorable fact about Japanese politics.
Lawmaker Yuuko Obuchi, a daughter of former Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi
was appointed to the Minister in charge of law birthrate problems. Mass
media reported a lot about her for she is 34 years of age , fairy young
and had a baby just a year ago. Some media said she is the youngest woman
who was appointed to a cabinet members after World War II. So what? Is that
a good and major reason for appointing her to such a very important position?
All major background for her appointment is the fact that she is a daughter
of the then Prime Minister of Japan. It is obvious that she is not eligible
at all for the specific issue such as law birthrate problems in Japanese
society.
The same thing can be said about the appointment Hirofumi Nakasone for
Minister of Foreign Affairs . Nakasone is another big name in Japanese
political world . Is he really one of the best man for such very important
position as Minister of Foreign Affairs?
I don't intend to say much about eligibility of those two people. I don't
want to be critical about their qualification. I just try to say there must
be a lot more eligible people for such very important position in inside
and outside of ruling parties, bureaucrats, academics and business. I have
some great doubt about the reason why Prime Minister Tarou Aso appointed
so many hereditary diet members and his close friends who worked for the
LDP's Presidential election.
Junichiro Koizumi, former Prime Minister, announced his resignation from
political world yesterday. He did not forget to say the most important
thing. His electorate will be succeeded by his second son who worked as
his personal secretary in the past several years.
The comment on Koizumi's resignation from Prime Minister Tarou Aso came
from New York. He said he was not surprised at all about Koizumi's
resignation. He knew about Koizumi's successor. Aso said and I quote:
" I know the second son of Koizumi. He is not eccentric at all like his
father. He is an ordinal man and very capable. "
Wow, what does he mean by that? How capable is he? How can he know
about it?
It sounds like any sons and daughter of top politicians are always eligible
for cabinet members in Japanese politics.
2008/9/27
Tadashi HAYASE
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