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TOKYO -- Political stagnation and a feeling of powerlessness are reasons
cited as why Japanese hate politics.
"Japanese are unable to voice their concerns to politicians or receive
some form of concrete policy
response that would improve their lives," said political analyst Roy K.
Akagawa.
He said the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partners
are only starting to realize that they cannot simply call for greater
outlays for public works projects because many citizens know that one day
the bill for those expenditures will have to be paid.
Citizen resentment toward the old political establishment is a main
characteristic of the run-up to June 25 general election, campaign for
which does not officially begin until June 13. There will be 1,278
candidates running.
Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, already under criticism for making a
remark reminiscent
of the country's militaristic past, drew fire again Sunday (June 4) for
another remark that reminded some listeners of pre-World War II Japanese
propaganda.
During a speech, Mr. Mori referred to Japan as a "kokutai" or "national
polity," an archaic term used in pre-World War II rhetoric to connote
Japan as a divine Emperor-ruled nation-state.
Mr.Mori, 62, who came to power soon after the death of Keizo Obuchi
May 14, used the term to criticize the Japan Communist Party for rejecting
the emperor's current constitutional role as a symbol of the state and for
opposing Japan's Security Treaty with the U.S.
Mr.Mori's popularity ratings in newspaper polls have reached a low of
19 per cent, from about 40 per cent when he took office officially April
l5. Despite the low showing, Japanese analysts and Western diplomats are
predicting the winning of 254 seats by the LDP-led coalition which would
mean Mr.Mori would stay as Prime Minister.
This predictability of the outcome, despite low poll showings,
highlights voter dissatisfaction and feeling of helplessness.
" A coalition win and a successful G-8 Summit in late July will
constitute the "revenge for a fallen samurai (Obuchi)" theme espoused by
LDP Secretary-General Hiromu Nonaka.
Whether the younger generation of voters will go along with such
traditionalist exhortations remains to be seen.
The election will at least pare down some of the most notorious
"oldster" n ames. The advanced ages of some politicians due to money
politics in their constituencies and vested interests, disenchant
voters. Forty members of the House of Representatives have announced their
retirement from politics, saying they will not run in the upcoming
election.
Going against the trend, the LDP decided to run Finance Minister Kiichi
Miyazawa,80. and former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone,82, in the
proportional representation section of the election, despite the party's
age limit of 73 for candidates.
But another practice remains that infuriates many voters. That is the
syndrome of "inherited seats.."In the coming election there will be 160
candidates who will be inheriting seats vacated by family members.
One in particular has attracted attention. The combination of an
inherited seat and appeal for sympathy will further the campaign of Yuko
Obuchi who will try to succeed her late father in the Gunma Prefecture 5th
district race.
LDP politicians around Japan will play on sympathy for the late Prime
Minister.
The sympathy vote factor will continue after the June 8 funeral and will
draw on the presence of U.S President Bill Clinton and South Korean
President Kim Dae-jung. "Old fashioned Asian funeral diplomacy goes
international," the headline might read.
The situation in Japan has become similar to that described by author
E.J.Dionne, Jr., in his 1991 book "Why Americans Hate Politics, (Simon and
Schuster)."
Dionne said Americans "still praise democracy incessantly and recommend
democracy to the the
world. But at home, we do little to promote the virtues that
self-govenment requires or to encourage citizens to believe that public
engagement is worthwhile."
The voter turnout rate in the 1988 Presidential race between George Bush
and Michael Dukakis was 50.2 percent. In 1992 the race among Bill Clinton,
George Bush and Ross Perot was 55.9 percent. In 1996, the Clinton,
Robert Dole, Perot race drew 49 percent. showing that level of interest.
Japan's turnout of eligible voters in 1998 when the LDP suffered a
setback was 58.84 percent. The historic low was the 1995 Upper House vote
at 44.53 percent.
Edward Neilan (eneilan@crisscross.com) is a veteran journalist, based in Tokyo, who covers East Asia and writes weekly for World Tribune.com.