How do you think Ichiro Ozawa will do as prime minister if he wins the DPJ leadership election on Sept 14?

borscht- It would be interesting to see if they accept foreigners as party members, though, wouldn't it?

Yes, they accept foreigners, as long as they live in Japan, as a party member or supporter. In their Japanese page, they say "民主党の基本理念と政策に賛同する１８歳以上の方なら、どなたでもなれます。在外邦人または在日外国人の方でもＯＫです."(Anybody who agree with the basic principles and agenda can become a party member, incl. Japanese people who live overseas or foreigners who live in Japan.) http://www.dpj.or.jp/sub_link/volunteer/index.html

To Richard_III,

I read the Asahi interview - very possible only because I know what it takes to be Sec Gen of the LDP somewhat. What former Sec Gen Ozawa is advocating reminds me of former Pres. Reagan - decentralization and the line item veto. In this situation, he is going to give regions a lump sum w/out strings (the ultimate line item veto in a convoluted way). It is plausible to find the additional revenues IF implemented w/ forethought and decisiveness. I do understand him at the macro level.

Ozawa is said to be a master political strategist but I find his standing against Kan to indicative more of vanity than anything, which has the potential to be extremely damaging to the DPJ but also for the image of Japan overseas. He is describing it as a last stand, almost as an act of martyrdom.

I read today an interview in the Asahi Shinbun and his policy outlines seem very half baked. It seems to be that greater financial autonomy for regional government combined with some increased spending towards SMEs will revive the Japanese economy. He surely needs to come up with more than that if he is serious about trying to improve the lot for the average Japanese. He seems conservative on the fiscal deficit and seems to think that increased power for politicians vis a vis bureaucrats will enable bolder reforms. Either he is being coy or he has no real substantive plans, but I wasn't impressed by what I read at all.

http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201009060235.html

Japan will contimue on it's downward spiral

Terribly. More of the same dinosaur politics that see Japan continue to stagnate.

@Klein2 It is natural for a party to allow party members a vote for internal elections. Do you mean only lawmakers and assembly members should have the right to vote? I am a member of a political party (abroad) and we are regularly asked to vote for the president, the political bureau or the party delegates. I would find it weird to pay for this party without having a right to say about its functioning.

"It will be open to DPJ Diet lawmakers, regional assembly members and the estimated 350,000 registered party members nationwide, with a lump of points allocated to each bloc."

Weird. Kind of like a convention of delegates for parties in the US. Seems like that complicates things.

Also, I should add that this seems like the dumbest idea to do this. I was under the impression that this had been scheduled and planned by the party. But what terrible timing. If it is about 400 people, well, that is one thing. but thousands and thousands? This could devolve into a really ugly divisive and very public fight.

Unless it is just a staged pep rally. I mean, even if Ozawa loses, he just goes back to doing what he was doing. Kan and the DPJ, on the other hand, need to get rallied after Hatoyama and the bad election. Maybe my pep rally theory applies after all.

"Given his habit for greed and scandal he will sell Japan out to the highest bidder."

I would like to bid. I would bid 2x GNP. The full value of the debt. Give me five years as dictator of this country, and I will get her whipped into shape.

I would finance the purchase price at 1%, get growth of 3%, tax the heck out of whomever I think deserves it, and pay off the bid price. I would make some rock solid conservative long term investments in infrastructure and energy and watch happy working people learn to hope again. I would do it for free and live as a bum. Why should I get special treatment?

Japan is not a loser country. It just has loser leadership. Although it is extremely undemocratic, Japan should elect some fireball and give him or her five years, five years to get things moving right again. Then that is it... time's up. Everyone votes. If they like it, then party on, otherwise, some other guy or gal gets a chance.

I think Ozawa will suck like rotten cheese on a hot asphalt. His methods of fixing the economy will never work. Both Ozawa and Kan are a bunch f real losers. What Japan really needs is a new fresh face in there who can do the job in the right way.

liefjapan

Ordinary citizens cannot vote

You can vote this time if you buy the right for 2,000 yen.

There is nothing about foreigners being able to vote on liefjapan's link. Indeed, there is nothing about foreigners at all. It would be interesting to see if they accept foreigners as party members, though, wouldn't it?

Zenny11- I am talking about Japan and Japanese citizens usually cannot elect the PM. First of all, Japanese Constitution allows only people with Japanese nationality to have suffrage rights.

Ordinary citizens cannot vote this time, of course, unless heshe is a "DPJ member or supporter" because this is the leadership election of one party. You can be a "DPJ member or supporter" if you registrate yourself and pay annual membership dues of 6,000 yen or 2,000 yen, no matter what your nationality is. Read No.2 in the following page. http://www.dpj.or.jp/english/sp/election2010_arrangements.html

In Japanese politics, the leader of the ruling party becomes the PM. Thus even if you dont have Japanese nationality, you can vote this time because you can buy the right to vote by 2,000 yen.

Ikkochan- Ordinary citizens cannot vote this time!

@ikkochan

By the way, not evey DPJ member can vote, only DPJ members in the two houses of the Diet. Ordinary citizens, no matter party affiliation can vote. I love you people who know about Japanese laws and constitution than Japanese native citizens.

Thanks, ikkochan. I love you too! From the Japan Times (Sept 2nd):

The Sept. 14 election will be the DPJ's first major presidential race since 2002. It will be open to DPJ Diet lawmakers, regional assembly members and the estimated 350,000 registered party members nationwide, with a lump of points allocated to each bloc.

liefjapan.

Seems to be under the impression that:

1.) Japanese Citizens elect the PM.

2.) That Foreigners got suffrage rights for national elections and are in numbers to outvote the Japanese population.

By the way, not evey DPJ member can vote, only DPJ members in the two houses of the Diet. Ordinary citizens, no matter party affiliation can vote.

I love you people who know about Japanese laws and constitution than Japanese native citizens.

Given his habit for greed and scandal he will sell Japan out to the highest bidder.

liefjapan.

What are you talking about? You surely are not talking about Japan.

In other words, Japanese PM could be chosen by foreigners. Insane!

The biggest problem here is that even foreigners can vote as long as he/she is a member of DPJ.

What will Ozawa do if he's elected?

Resign in three months.

What seems odd is the 4 investigations into former Sec Gen Ozawa's scandal, but no conclusion. The prosecutors did not indict, and now, a layperson group will investigate - it is odd, but I am not too familiar w/ the case.

The irony, at least from what I know prior to the 1960's, is that it was this form of influence peddling that was used to get Japan's economy to be 2nd in the world. The "money talks, bs walks" was prevalent since the end of the SCAP Occupation. It did work, but may be unseemly to an affluent society.

This the same electorate that put up with the LDP for 60 years

And finally threw them out when they messed up their pensions. It's the oldies who do most of the voting, and they have long memories. Their memories of Osawa are of a man who has always been politically dirty and involved in money problems. The talking heads were saying on the telly this morning that most politicians who voted for Osawa in the leadership elections would essentially be committing political suicide.

Cleo,

the wrath of the electorate at the next general election

The wrath of the Japanese electorate? This the same electorate that put up with the LDP for 60 years and re-elected the same politicians who did nothing when the bubble burst? And who only got really upset when the government said people had to put their names on their garbage?

In other words, you agree that Japan has hit rock bottom and is totally devoid of any real leadership? So,

So, never too late to give up prejudices and vote for Ichiro Ozawa !

To Klein2,

" "full sovereignty for Japan" You're slipping Apec. Your facade is cracking."

Please elaborate.... I'm talking about foreign policy, not necessarily about domestic issues per se. When I say ""full sovereignty", I am discussing the need for former Sec Gen Ozawa to implement policies w/out external obstacles. He does see a need to maintain an alliance w/ the US, but not to the degree which would hamper policies. Is that what you are referring to?

Sorry, hit submit instead of preview. But you get my point. Ozawa is clearly scraping the bottom of the barrel.

some14some -- great reasoning.

"Nothing to lose (so why not try)"

"see

no harm trying Ozawa".

In other words, you agree that Japan has hit rock bottom and is totally devoid of any real leadership? So,

some14some -- I some times wonder what "Matrix" version of Japan you live in.

It's simple. "Dame de motomoto", meaning nothing to lose (so why not try?) How many PM's have changed and how long Japan has been in recession? Unless nation has become addict to LDP, i see no harm trying Ozawa, a veteran politician. politician

at his victory ceremony i wonder if he would wear a tuxedu with tails and tap dance around singing "la cuca ra cha" like those two 70 year old twin brothers do on tv?

I am really not concerned about who become PM of Japan. They are changing with climates. So Ozawa may be until winter only. I guess so.....

"full sovereignty for Japan" You're slipping Apec. Your facade is cracking.

It would become close to a dictatorship. It is a good thing now that it won't happen with him having only 18% support at this point.

I had front row seats and the fireworks were incredible. No one saw anything.

The guy is advocating full sovereignty for Japan - I would imagine the US will react one way or another. A clue - former PM Hashimoto and his incredible problems.

Japanese politicians are like the little dog barking its ar$e off behind the screen door at the person on the other side, but as soon as the person enters the dog sits there and does nothing.

If Ozawa takes over he will do nothing more than line his pockets with as much as he can while those working for him do his dirty work and take the fat envelopes under the table.

Same as the others..

He'll spend too much money on pet projects like child allowance while simultaneously talking about cutting back spending. He'll talk about taking power back from the bureaucrats but will make secret deals with them behind the scenes and of course nothing will change.

The people don't like him. If he gets voted in as PM, the politicians who voted for him will face the wrath of the electorate at the next general election, and the DJP will be back in opposition.

"the fat lady is signing for Japan"

I always let the fat lady sign for me at restaurants.

I have almost zero opinion on this question. I can't believe he would be anything better than mediocre. I hope he would be, but I am not all than much into hope today. It will take him two months to get up to speed. Maybe another two distracted by scandal. By then another budget will have passed and another two or three world crises will have gone by. Will he then have any momentum to implement policies? The DPJ mandate will be gone. He will have little left to do but loot the country.

Sooner or later the people will give up. I don't know if anyone has really thought about this, but I can look around and see it. Some people are working really hard to keep things going, and sooner or later, they will see incompetence above and below and to the left and right. 20 years of YUCK is really too much to ask of a nation.

If Ozawa can't do any better than Kan or Hatoyama, we should just get the LDP back in. This DPJ experiment will have failed.

I some times wonder what "Matrix" version of Japan you live in

LMAO

But seriously, I really don't care who gets elected to the revolving door show... just please have the chutzpah to serve your term.

some14some -- I some times wonder what "Matrix" version of Japan you live in. Ozawa is nothing but a dirty, political opportunist who has no earthly idea how to pull Japan out of its twenty-plus year slide. Someone much smarter than me once remarked that "People get the government they deserve". And, if Ozawa becomes PM it should sent a clear signal to the whole world that the fat lady is signing for Japan.

Despite blessings from Beijing Ichiro Ozawa will be at the mercy of God America. Hardly any doubt that Ozawa is a man with leadership qualities and sharp vision, wish he is allowed to prove the same when nation is facing economy crisis and social disintegration.