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Contest for leadership of opposition Japan Innovation Party begins

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Only 12 seats! Kishida must be laughing at this headline.

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

While Baba emphasized continuity with "the party's spirit" 

Too much 'spirit' and raised fists smacks of the empty LDP rhetoric and lack of real initiatives to benefit the Japanese people.

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

Why oh why is the DPJ so quiet? I'm trying to think of the last time they appeared in the news...

6 ( +6 / -0 )

“opposition party” and “Japan” in the same sentence; – that’s a good one(!) ; (still early morning, so thank you JT, for making us laugh and putting us in a good mood. heheh.

-4 ( +11 / -15 )

This is as defined as 'Opposition'? I doubt this party will exsist two election cycles from now.

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

The Japan Innovation Party has not joined other opposition parties to counter the dominant position of the Liberal Democratic Party led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and its coalition partner Komeito.

Could be because their policies are indistinguishable from the far right wing of the LDP, but what do I know what kind of games these guys are playing.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

theResidentToday  08:03 am JST

This is as defined as 'Opposition'? I doubt this party will exsist two election cycles from now.

They're not really an opposition to the LDP philosophically, but they do have a pretty solid base in Kansai with lots of local government seats, so predicting their demise might be a bit premature.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

obladiToday  07:29 am JST

Why oh why is the DPJ so quiet? I'm trying to think of the last time they appeared in the news...

That would have been in 2016 when it merged with the Japan Innovation Party to become the Democratic Party, which itself dissolved in 2018 and split into the Constitutional Democratic Party, the Democratic Party for the People, Kibo No To and presumably, the Japan Innovation Party (again). You may be thinking of the Constitutional Democratic Party, which is now the largest DPJ splinter group.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Is this a joke? There is no opposition party. Give the weight of UC scandal any real opposition would be out swinging but we hear not a peep. Laughable.

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

All the opposition parties should come out singing and swinging against the UC/LDP.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@wallace: I agree. But you need some clear policies for that and some politicians with some charisma that night get the under 65's out to vote. Very sorry state of affairs.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

There is no opposition in Japan thy deserves to be called opposition. Sad as it is, Japan has been rules forever by teh LDP, look at their new cabinet, you would be forgiven to think Japan is a country with no women.

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

The combined opposition had 52% of the votes in last year's election. The LDP 34%, Komeito 12% =46%.

Komeito and all the opposition need to make strong statements on the UC/LDP scandal.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

wallace:

The combined opposition had 52% of the votes in last year's election. The LDP 34%, Komeito 12% =46%.

Komeito and all the opposition need to make strong statements on the UC/LDP scandal.

This party is a conservative opposition party, which will never make a coalition with leftist parties such as Japanese Communist Party or Social Democrats or Constitutinal Democrats, etc.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

who?

they better get “innovative” and learn how to promote themselves.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

This party is a conservative opposition party, 

Indeed their views on some issues are similar to those of the conservative factions of the LDP (one has to remember the LDP is an amalgamation of all sorts, and their big government socialism like wheat import controls is pretty left wing from my perspective).

But on other issues they have proposed reform policies, including a style of basic income.

Japan badly needs reforms, and frankly this party is the only one that has any ideas to reform anything about Japan.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Komeito and all the opposition need to make strong statements on the UC/LDP scandal.

Pot. Pan. Black. Komeito itself is the political wing of Soka Gakkai.

They and UC have their snouts in the same deep trough of the gullible.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

What surprises me is that some people actually believe that there are significant differences between japan's political factions otherwise known as political parties.

You people are kidding yourselves. There is nary a difference.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Mickelicious

Komeito and all the opposition need to make strong statements on the UC/LDP scandal.

Pot. Pan. Black. Komeito itself is the political wing of Soka Gakkai.

The Komeito constitution on donations, unlike the LDP, is clear and transparent. It receives no donations from the Soka Gakkai.

How is New Komeito funded?

A. In addition to the Political Contribution Control Law, New Komeito's Articles of Rules and Regulations places strict limits on the sources and amount of political contributions that the party may accept to finance its activities. The three approved means of funding are:

1) private donations (capped at 1.5 million yen per individual donor per year);

2) subscription income generated from the Komei Shimbun, the party organ newspaper;

3) and a government subsidy allocated to all state-sanctioned political parties. A government-audited financial report is released each year at one of two major meetings, the National Convention or National Conference of Representatives.

https://www.komei.or.jp/en/faq/

2 ( +3 / -1 )

and their big government socialism like wheat import controls is pretty left wing from my perspective).

And from the perspective of the majority of Japanese residents the LDP subsidies to oil suppliers, GoTo hotel owners and COVID stimulus to business owners only, venture capital support, subsidies to chip makers, and Dentsu contracts smack of rampant corporate socialism, oligarchic corporatism.

Parties which offer socialism for workers unfortunately are poorly represented.

Reiwa and the JCP need more reps.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I know Adachi as an acquaintance. He's a nice enough guy, but is a politician and a bit flaky for my liking - it's hard to pin him down for a straight answer on anything. That said, I agree with fxgai that Isshin is the least wishy-washy party in the country.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

dagon points out various other subsidy schemes, similar to the controls on food imports.

We have to remember that in other countries that embraced neoliberal policies in the 1980’s, such policies were abolished. In other countries today, to notion of the central government importing the food, or subsidizing the tourism operators or whatever it is, would be laughed at.

Rather than sticking with such socialism but redirecting it at a different set of winners, the big government socialism itself should be abolished.

A free market, with a level playing field for all.

Japan never tried this and funnily enough it’s economy has been in the trash for the last 30 years while the rest of the developed world moved ahead.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

in Japan there is no real opposition party.Japan is LDP country,rest are just part of local circuss called "demokrashi"....meaningless pointless actionless powerless tax payers costs...

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

We have to remember that in other countries that embraced neoliberal policies in the 1980’s, such policies were abolished. 

Most donot have fond memories of the neo-liberal policies of the Reagan and Thatcher years They are the origin of must of the hollowing out of the middle class in the West

Not a good model to follow.

A free market, with a level playing field for all.

Lets let the oligarchs keep their capital gained through oligarch manipulation of capital markets and politics and let everyone have an unregulated flat tax unregulated environment! ! Rentier capital does not distort political economy!

Free market! Go at it!

JCP and Reiwa are right 8n arguing for redistribution.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

As japan is a one party system broken up into factions which the media call political parties, one thing is for certain, the lowly jcp is not highly thought of by the voting populace. At least they can see that communism is just simply no good.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

A free market, with a level playing field for all.

Japan never tried this and funnily enough it’s economy has been in the trash for the last 30 years while the rest of the developed world moved ahead.

True. Oh, so true.

Japan has played both sides of the field forever. Japan has been so lucky to operate under the American umbrella. It never ever would have survived on its own with is quasi 'open market'. Japan by and large is a socialist/communist type central govt running economy which rightfully earned them the moniker japan inc.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

Japan by and large is a socialist/communist type central govt running economy which rightfully earned them the moniker japan inc

I think the union of corporate interests and government ha a much better definition by some J. zaibatsu contemporaries such as Mussolini.

https://chipublib.bibliocommons.com/list/share/204842963/1292628717

Corporatism is Facism and it was defeated by largely the Soviet Union

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

The government is a center-right conservative. Under PM Abe nationalism became a greater purpose and role.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Most donot have fond memories of the neo-liberal policies of the Reagan and Thatcher years 

Other countries too, but no doubt those years were years of change.

So of course some people were put out by the change - some people prefer the status quo to doing anything differently, especially the vested interests.

But things like subsidy programs that were abolished, have they been reinstated since?

Japan needs neoliberal reforms too, to catch up.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

So of course some people were put out by the change - some people prefer the status quo to doing anything differently, especially the vested interests.

The vested interests benefit greatly during the neoliberal "reforms" then as they did during the 2008 bailout and the pandemic.

Disaster capitalism natch.

https://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/ten-richest-men-double-their-fortunes-pandemic-while-incomes-99-percent-humanity

And like in Japan under "New Capitalism" the economic misery is rife with corporate profits and the market interests through the roof.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

@dagon

I think you're up against a lot of Red Scare thinking here (although I agree with everything you're posting today).

This mentality could also be the reason the "Innovation" Party would never join an opposition with the JCP, because to a lot of their voters, getting exploited by big corporations who keep getting tax cuts is somehow "freedom" while using their (and, especially, large corporations') tax money on social programmes that actually benefit the population is "communism" and therefore bad.

Therefore, the party has more chances to get more voters who associate the JCP with dictatorship (nevermind actual dictator-worshipping Yasukuni vistors) and pro-big business capitalism with freedom. It's completely backwards, but it has been working for right-wing politicians around the world. Japan, with its strong American influence, is no different.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

what is the difference between the unification church and sokagakkai? sokagakkai has THEIR OWN political party and nobody says a a word about it

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Yotomaya

I think you're up against a lot of Red Scare thinking here (although I agree with everything you're posting today).

This mentality could also be the reason the "Innovation" Party would never join an opposition with the JCP, because to a lot of their voters, getting exploited by big corporations who keep getting tax cuts is somehow "freedom" while using their (and, especially, large corporations') tax money on social programmes that actually benefit the population is "communism" and therefore bad.

Therefore, the party has more chances to get more voters who associate the JCP with dictatorship (nevermind actual dictator-worshipping Yasukuni vistors) and pro-big business capitalism with freedom. It's completely backwards, but it has been working for right-wing politicians around the world. Japan, with its strong American influence, is no different.

+1000 exactly this.

Corporate greed = freedom, good!

Social justice, equality etc. = communism, totalitarianism, the Antichrist.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

it was the Komeito that made the covid relief payments happen.

All the more reason not to vote for Komeito. Terrible policy.

The money doesn’t grow on trees, nor does it come from Santa Claus, not Chairman Xi nor Putin.

The correct response would be to have the needy rely on a safety net. To the extent that the safety net was insufficient, it ought be fixed.

Not give money to absolutely everyone, willy nilly.

to a lot of their voters, getting exploited by big corporations who keep getting tax cuts is somehow "freedom"

This is not on the money.

The LDP is all about protecting big corporations.

People like me have no special love of big corporations. We just want fair treatment across the board for everyone. And fair means that if someone earns some money, they should be able to decide how to spend the money they earned by themselves. Not have some central planner bureaucrat decide that it should be spent on this or that special interest.

What I see here is many people complaining that big corporations get special treatment from the LDP (and this is true). But it is a mistake to say that it should be another group who should get the special treatment.

No!

It is for each of us to decide how to spend our own money - not for us to decide how to spend the money of the children who may be growing up to become taxpayers in this country - they have no say in that at all.

We need to have a level playing field and that includes for those poor future taxpayers who haven’t even been born yet.

I think the JIP can get some votes here.

The JCP and Reiwa and CDPJ or whatever their current acronym are just the same as the LDP - they all want to spend other people’s money, it’s just a difference of which special interest group shall be in favour.

I want no special interest groups to get anything.

Free markets mean that people need to fend for themselves, and that means producing stuff that other people see value in and want to pay for of their own volition.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The money doesn’t grow on trees, nor does it come from Santa Claus, not Chairman Xi nor Putin.

The correct response would be to have the needy rely on a safety net. To the extent that the safety net was insufficient, it ought be fixed.

The wealthy have a lavish safety net in the working public such as Quantitative Easing for financials (which you claim in not made up money) and a government that will bailout hotel owners in a pandemic and leave the needy begging.

Might as well be Santa or a socialist Big Daddy Stalin for the fat cats.

Abolishing corporate taxes and welfare would not level a pyramid shaped paying field.

That is an absurd fairy tale neo-liberals tell eachother.

The complicit polticos in the LDP and their Japan Inc. cronies need to be expropriated and defunded.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

I must remind you that in the last elections for the Chamber of Councilors, last July 10. Ishin outpolled Kenta Izumi's CDP by more than 1 million votes. That was a historic event in Japan's recent history. Making Ishin the 2nd largest political party in Japan in terms of number of voters.

Another very different thing is, that at the moment of assigning seats. The beneficiary would be the CDP, as a result of the electoral system in force. 

It could be said that CDP had a sweet defeat and Ishin had a bitter victory.

One of the keys to Ishin's success is precisely because it is placing relatively young people. With clear ideas within a liberal party, in economic matters. And socially conservative. It is also the party with the most sensible proposals within the opposition camp. 

The CDP should learn a lot from Ishin and put aside the childish ideas promulgated by its leaders. If they want to someday govern the country.

PS. I've been saying since 2015 that Nippon Ishin no Kai, they were going to surprise us. And I wasn't wrong.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

fxgaiAug. 15  05:57 pm JST

We need to have a level playing field and that includes for those poor future taxpayers who haven’t even been born yet.

I think the JIP can get some votes here.

Some votes? What good is that going to do? All that means, at best, is that they'll be able to get into a coalition with some other party, and as they appear to be most ideologically aligned with the LDP that's who it's most likely to be. They might go along with the LDP in votes on defence policy and the constitution, and the LDP will give them nothing in return.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

What good is that going to do?

Gotta start somewhere, and the trend has been better than the rest.

Remember? Even the DPJ were elected to power once.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

fxgaiAug. 16  09:02 am JST

What good is that going to do?

Gotta start somewhere, and the trend has been better than the rest.

Unless they do something to make a big impact I don't see them maintaining their momentum.

Remember? Even the DPJ were elected to power once.

The DPJ had enough candidates to form a majority on their own. The JIP don't.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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