A recent Japan Times article about warnings eminating from an annual gathering of business leaders in Kyoto over the the political situation here and its affect on Japan’s “place on the world stage,” reveals that some “leaders” in Japan seem to prefer the relative harmony of a one-party dictatorship over a two-party system of checks and balances.
Opposition party control of the Upper House since July has created political gridlock that is hurting Japan’s international reputation, participants said.
Solutions offered to break the deadlock were sometimes radical. Kyoto University professor Terumasa Nakanishi, a strong advocate of Japan having nuclear weapons, suggested the Upper House be abolished in its current form.
If this guy is a professor (which, I guess, makes him among Japan’s best and brightest), then Japan may be worse off than we imagine. The people voted the opposition (Democratic Party of Japan) into power in The Upper House because they were dissatisfied with the policies and practices of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and their coalition partner New Komeito Party. So in response this geek says Japan should simply abolish the Upper House in order to give the LDP and New Komeito a free hand, effectively spitting squarely into the eye of the Japanese voting public.
But even Nakanishi seems to have realized what a wacky notion this is, for he offered an alternative “plan,” albeit one that is no less wacky than the first (emphasis mine).
More moderately, [Nakanishi] also favors a coalition government.
“Two main parties, the Liberal Democratic Party and the Democratic Party of Japan, forming a coalition government is the only way to break the stalemate,” Nakanishi said, to the approval of many of the senior business leaders present.
Well, this approach accomplishes essentially the same thing as the first: that is it basically nullifies the results of the Upper House election and gives notice to the people of Japan that their votes mean absolutely nothing. It tells them the system is not only rigged, it is owned and operated by a small group of self-anointed, self-important elitists with a sense of entitlement that they feels puts them well above the law, the constitution, and the will of the people they govern.
What is the biggest threat to Japan according to these “leaders?”
Why, nails that refuse to be hammered down to the benefit of the powers that be, of course.
Many participants complained bitterly about what they see as self-centered behavior by corporations and individuals, especially among the younger generation[.]
“What is the biggest threat to Japan according to these “leaders?”
Why, nails that refuse to be hammered down to the benefit of the powers that be, of course.”
That’s complete bullshit - the sort of stereotypical trash that the truly ignorant churn out because it becomes “accepted wisdom”. Edward, I’d thought better of you to come up with that claptrap.
What the DPJ have done since it gained influence in the upper house is disgraceful - vetoing bills simply to try to bring the government down and have new elections. They complain about sending tankers and then suggest the GSDF go to Afghanistan! So refuelling the Royal Navy is wrong but sending armed troops to a war-torn country is ok? What backward thinking is that?
What these business leaders were talking about was the selfishness that some Japanese demonstrate - the “we’re ok, Jack” mentality that you see in other countries that are happier to watch parts of the world collapse on their TV screens while they’re curled up with a blanket and a mug of hot cocoa. Someone else will sort things out, so why lift a finger yourself?
And the political disharmony is causing trouble to Japan’s standing in the world because it is affecting policy. Why give Japanese leaders any attention if they can’t get Parliament to do what needs to be done?
Vetoing bills out of childish ire is not democracy - in fact it’s a huge threat to the concept as it breaks the whole system down. But that’s what the DPJ want - chaos, such that the LDP have to call a general election.
If Japanese support a permanent seat on the UNSC, how do they expect to get it if they won’t even let their navy participate in refuelling operations? The whole reason the MSDF was sent out in the first place (and the troops to Iraq) was to raise Japan’s profile as a world power that was willing to pull its weight. Giving the UN a lot of money doesn’t cut any mustard because anyone can do that - showing the guts to put your people’s lives on the line for another country is different.
Well, Raj, the remark you take issue with was not referring to the DPJ, so I really don’t know how to respond in that regard.
I don’t know if whether you live in Japan or not, but Japanese “leaders” often make public statements suggesting that one of the major problems with modern Japan is too much freedom. Japanese politicians and bureaucrats often treat their consituents with total disdain. Nakanishi’s quote seemed like more of the same.
But that’s what the DPJ want - chaos, such that the LDP have to call a general election.
Right. . . So what’s your point?
“Japanese “leaders” often make public statements suggesting that one of the major problems with modern Japan is too much freedom”
I never said they didn’t say it - I said that you were misinterpreting what these people were getting at. You made it sound like they want a one-party dictatorship when really they just want co-operation to ensure what needs to be done is done.
“Right. . . So what’s your point?”
So my point is that these people are taking issue with the fact that the DPJ are trying to destabilise the government (and even the country) just to serve their small-minded political objectives. I don’t agree that the upper house should be abolished but it is working against the interests of the country at the moment.