Would it prompt the opposition parties to shake off their present state of constituting "many weak parties" and form an axis to join forces around?
An election to choose the leader of the Democratic Party for the People has been officially announced. Yuichiro Tamaki, currently a coleader of the party, and Keisuke Tsumura, a member of the House of Representatives, have stepped forward as candidates. The new leader will be chosen on Sept. 4.
Tamaki emphasizes his position of stepping to the fore in Diet debates. Tsumura has claimed that the party's current leadership, including Tamaki, are responsible for the present state of the party as it founders.
The party, which was established in May, has taken part in Diet debates under the slogan "solution rather than confrontation." During a question time session, Tamaki challenged Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to debates over Japan-Russia diplomacy and the visa status of foreign workers in Japan.
The party's stance of attempting to confront the government in policy debates deserves recognition. It is important for it to adhere to such a stance from now on, as well.
With regards to how the party should deal with the House of Councillors election slated for next summer, Tamaki and Tsumura have been in accord on the policy of moving ahead with forming a united front among opposition parties.
In the 2016 upper house election, opposition parties worked together in support of the same candidates in all 32 constituencies with one seat up for grabs and beat the candidates of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in 11 districts.
The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), the No. 1 opposition party, is negative about joining forces with other parties. On the other hand, it is also a fact that unless progress is made in reorganizing the opposition parties, they will usher in next summer in a more fractionalized condition than two years ago.
Judging that contending separately in the upper house election would give them few chances to win, it is possible for opposition parties to take the tactic of cooperating in the poll -- which is not a race to choose the administration -- despite slight differences in policies.
Build strong foundations
The problem is that it is difficult to see how the parties would be structured after battling in the election behind a united front.
The Democratic Party (DP) split at the time of last year's lower house election, leaving the opposition camp fractionalized. There has also been an increase in the number of Diet members who were unable to fix a position and became independents. Each of the opposition parties is presently in the process of reorganization.
The Abe Cabinet is actively tackling labor policies including work style reforms and wage hikes, which the now-defunct Democratic Party of Japan and the former DP had advocated. The opposition parties, unable to find a focus for confrontation with the LDP, are searching for a way to question the LDP over scandals. Doing things this way, they won't be able to win public support.
Challenging the ruling party to debates by improving their policy-making capabilities and working out realistic counterproposals; setting up firm local organizations and solidifying their foundation -- it is vital to continue making such steadfast efforts.
Within the CDPJ, which is one opposition party enjoying a high level of public support, even arguments such as reviving some of the policies advocated by the DPJ when it was in power have cropped up, such as the individual farming household income compensation system. If the party goes back to the methods taken by the DPJ, which placed too much importance on a policy of handouts, no prospects will open up for it.
The current state of affairs, with the absence of any tough opposition party, has induced arrogance and laxity on the part of the LDP, which is overwhelmingly dominant in the Diet. Opposition parties developing enough strength to take the helm of the government would also lead to the public's trust in politics being regained.
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 23, 2018)
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