The opposition parties' repeated alignment and realignment with the aim of boosting their election prospects will not lift the public's expectations of them. The current reorganization of the opposition camp cannot help but raise concerns.
The Democratic Party for the People (DPFP) has decided to break up and join with the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), the largest opposition party. While many of the DPFP's 62 Diet members plan to join with the CDPJ, some lawmakers, including DPFP leader Yuichiro Tamaki, will not join and plan to secede from the party. The DPFP has essentially split.
The DPFP and the CDPJ had been discussing a confluence since last year, but these talks became bogged down by disagreements on issues such as their new party's name and personnel. The terms of House of Representatives lawmakers will expire in October 2021. It seems the approaching lower house election was the impetus for this latest joining of forces.
The Democratic Party of Japan-led administration that came to power in 2009 featured lawmakers from across a wide spectrum, including conservatives and members of former socialist parties. This mixture repeatedly stumbled into trouble over issues including U.S. military bases and the response to the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011.
After being ousted from power in 2012, the DPJ went through splits and reorganizations that ended up as today's CDPJ and DPFP. Both parties remain far apart on key policy issues such as constitutional amendment and energy.
It is quite understandable for Tamaki to say, "If we form a party made from people with differing ideologies and policies, we won't be able to use the lessons we learned from the past."
The DPFP billed itself as seeking "solutions rather than confrontation," but has squared off against the government in terms of policy. The party was quick to propose financial support to help businesses pay rent as part of the measures to deal with the novel coronavirus pandemic. If the DPFP shrinks, its ability to firmly stick to such policy proposals will be tested.
The CDPJ currently has 89 members. This number is projected to climb to well over 100 after it picks up some DPFP lawmakers and a group of independents that includes former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and former Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada. It makes sense that opposition party lawmakers want to band together with the aim of toppling the government.
However, they should be aware that what appears to be bringing the previous DPJ back to life has few prospects.
The support rate for the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been dropping, but support for the CDPJ has not grown. The CDPJ has focused on criticizing the administration and pursuing scandals involving Cabinet members. It is clear that voters feel that this alone is not enough to show the party is capable of taking over the reins of government.
How will the CDPJ deal with Japan's shrinking population and changes in world affairs, such as feuding between the United States and China? The party must clearly demonstrate that it offers a viable option to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party by honing its policy-making ability and creating realistic counterproposals.
It also will be important to steadily build up its local organizations and broaden public understanding of the party's policies, instead of relying on an atmosphere of prioritizing performance over substance and only taking an oppositional stance.
The presence of a constructive opposition party will help keep Japan's political world on its toes.
-- The original Japanese article appeared in The Yomiuri Shimbun on Aug. 21, 2020.
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