politics

Opposition parties unite in bid to break LDP's grip on power

39 Comments
By Ryotaro Nakamaru

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© KYODO

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

39 Comments
Login to comment

Giving a glimpse of the chaos behind the scenes, Reiwa Shinsengumi leader Taro Yamamoto abruptly announced he will run in a Tokyo constituency that already had prospective contenders from both the CDPJ and JCP, only to face a wave of criticism and retract the decision days later.

Go Taro! Glad to see him get a rare mention here. Sad to see though that populist candidates with a democratic socialist platform get so little coverage.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Not going to happen. Under Kishida-san LDP will win big. Probably the biggest win ever, like nobody has ever seen before.

-17 ( +3 / -20 )

I hope so,but I highly doubt that the mainstream media partly controlled by the old boys will give enough coverage to them.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

The CDPJ still suffers from the DPJ's legacy. The public learned to trust the DPJ, gave it a chance to govern, but was then disappointed," Harris said. "The reality is that the LDP benefits from the perception that it is a competent, natural party of government and has to really misgovern to be penalized."

There is nothing competent about the LDP. The problem the DPJ had was that the institutions in Japan are all embedded with the LDP- the media, the bureaucrats, business moguls are all in bed with the LDP and always have been. This makes it VERY difficult for ANY party to wrench power from the LDP. The system and its institutions are rigged to ensure LDP continuity in government and power. This is why Japan is not fundamentally a democracy at all. Therefore, it is imperative that the LDP lose an election to break the cycle and send a message to them that what they do can and will hurt them politically. Otherwise, Japan will continue to weaken and stagnate. I know that I'm being far too optimistic but one can always hope.

10 ( +14 / -4 )

The least 20 years have been a failure in many respects (economy dead, population declining and rural areas in decay) But, that doesn't mean that the opposition would have done any better. I really haven't heard much from any politician that makes me think these problems will be addressed).

I'd like to see immigration go up and educational and industrial institutions reformed according to global standards.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

If the people in the districts where the LDP leadership is running lose their seats it would cause turmoil within the LDP.... never happen, but one can wish!

10 ( +11 / -1 )

I suspect that the latter remains true

That’s right, basically Japanese voters are conservative in the sense of being against change.

But both the LDP and lefty CDPJ and JCP are all for big government socialism, spending tens of trillions. The CDPJ is just the DPJ with a new name.

The only alternative to the big government socialism parties is the Japan Innovation Party. But Japanese voters are conservative and won’t vote for reform.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

he least 20 years have been a failure in many respects (economy dead, population declining and rural areas in decay) But, that doesn't mean that the opposition would have done any better. I really haven't heard much from any politician that makes me think these problems will be addressed).

Add another 10 years and I'd agree!

4 ( +4 / -0 )

"Go Taro! Glad to see him get a rare mention here. Sad to see though that populist candidates with a democratic socialist platform get so little coverage."

You mean "Mr. Pink", the "actor" whose only political claim to fame is...bum-rushing the Emperor to force on him a political petition, much like the "far right" once was only known for trying to do around here? The dude that named his party after a Japanese police force that used to crack down on anti-Edo dissent, and just won what, 10% of the vote in the 2020 Tokyo gubernatorial race? lol. What a vote-getter!

Hey. Why stop with "democratic socialism"? The "Opposition" clearly didn't.

Now, you, too, can vote for a "moderate" CDP that's openly aligned with....card-carrying Communists!

That's totally going to fly with the Japanese population. lol. Great move, "Opposition".

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

But both the LDP and lefty CDPJ and JCP are all for big government socialism, spending tens of trillions.

As if the LDP spending trillions on GoTo and farm subsidies for pricey melons, contracts for Dentsu and padded construction contracts for cronies is "socialism" and exactly the same thing as the opposition promises of pandemic relief for families, basic income to supplement woeful wages in the "free" labor market and tax relief for lower and middle income households.

You heard it here; the LDP is socialist. Maybe you have it confused with National Socialism?

5 ( +7 / -2 )

The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Japanese Communist Party and two smaller groups have formed an alliance to coordinate campaign promises and field fewer candidates in order to avoid competing for voters.

Ridiculous. their policies between CDPJ and JCP, for example, wrt diplomacy, national security, currency are totally opposite, but coordinate only on campaign promises? Voters do not vote only for campaign promises which are just part of motives and they surely know all of their promises would never be fulfilled.

Anyone with half a brain would know, only if it wins, the new government and the diet would be a big mess.

If the opposition can be this silly, Why don't they become one big political party to face LDP. Make it simple.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

You mean "Mr. Pink", the "actor" whose only political claim to fame is...bum-rushing the Emperor to force on him a political petition, much like the "far right" once was only known for trying to do around here? The dude that named his party after a Japanese police force that used to crack down on anti-Edo dissent, and just won what, 10% of the vote in the 2020 Tokyo gubernatorial race? lol. What a vote-getter!

Hey. Why stop with "democratic socialism"? The "Opposition" clearly didn't.

Now, you, too, can vote for a "moderate" CDP that's openly aligned with....card-carrying Communists!

I think you are hitting the trifecta Hito Bito. So Yamamoto peacefully petitions the Emeperor and the name of his party makes him crypto-rightist, and of course as a democratic socialist and aligned with a nominal Communist party his ultimate goal must be the abolition of all private property and authoritarian rule by the Party.

Like with Bernie Sanders in America, the fear mongers and clumsy smear campaigns are always out in force.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

The LDP -  Liberal Democratic Party

Not Liberal, not Democratic, and not a Party.

The best government that money can buy!

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Good luck.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

By saying 233 gives them a majority Kishida is already conceding that the LDP is going to get a thrashing but should just hold power. Should be an interesting election. Hopefully people turn out to vote instead of just complaining but doing nothing!

6 ( +6 / -0 )

I would be thrilled to see the JCP get a serious rise in representation but to be perfectly honest, I don't see it happening. A few more seats here or there, but nothing huge. Maybe I will be proved wrong, but the younger populace of Japan seems fairly politically indifferent and the older generations are firmly entrenched in the LDP.

Maybe the mishandling of the pandemic and Olympics will finally be what it takes to mobilize the younger generations, but I won't hold my breath. The "Maybe THIS is what radicalizes people..." is a line that has been trotted out so many times it has lost all meaning.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

The LDP tried to ban child po*no comics, but these opposition parties blocked it.

Because of this, child po*no comics are still legal today.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

Democracy is a farce.....

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Oppositions have no chance of winning anything.

Unless they can go into a mass recruitment drive to get a bunch of family members of the political families to join them, they will be crushed every election now and 100 years from now. It is simply impossible for LDP to lose unless there are masses of LDP politicians defecting from the party.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

igfklinToday  10:03 am JST

The LDP tried to ban child po*no comics, but these opposition parties blocked it.

Because of this, child po*no comics are still legal today.

How could the opposition parties block anything? If such things are still legal it's because the government lacked the political will to ignore the opposition and take tough action.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

How could the opposition parties block anything? If such things are still legal it's because the government lacked the political will to ignore the opposition and take tough action.

When the possession of child porno was banned in Japan in 2014, there was a debate on whether to include comics in the ban.

The LDP aimed to include comics in the ban, but gave up due to opposition from the opposition parties.

The opposition parties also opposed making the possession of child porno illegal.

Taro Aso was proud to say that he took the lead in banning child porno.

Takaichi is also a leading politician advocating the banning of child porno comics.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

igfklinToday  11:37 am JST

The LDP aimed to include comics in the ban, but gave up due to opposition from the opposition parties.

In 2014, just like today, the LDP could pretty much ignore any opposition and do whatever it wanted. Yet it just "gave up?"

3 ( +4 / -1 )

kennyGToday  08:48 am JST

If the opposition can be this silly, Why don't they become one big political party to face LDP.

Actually a good idea, if they could all seriously get behind the same set of policies.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

blahblah222Today  10:51 am JST

Oppositions have no chance of winning anything.

How come the DPJ hammered the LDP in 2009 then?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Homophobic much are we?

LOL! Your words, not mine. Did you FAIL to notice that the Taro ALWAYS dresses in Pink? That his party's motto is...in Pink? That his campaign posters are prominently Pink?

Of course you did! You just jump the gun, and are so quick to put thoughts into other people's minds, aren't you?

FAIL
-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Hito. LOL too funny. But dead on.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

It would be interesting if they could pull an Israeli-style coup, but any one of the oyagis would easily fold like origami for the promise of power, money and women if they switched to LDP.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

In 2014, just like today, the LDP could pretty much ignore any opposition and do whatever it wanted. Yet it just "gave up?"

You can learn about the opinions of each party at the time on this page.

https://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/1306/28/news149.html

All the opposition parties opposed the ban on the possession of child porno.

Did you know that lawyers were also opposed to penalizing the possession of child porno?

https://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/1306/14/news041.html

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

igfklinToday  01:02 pm JST

You can learn about the opinions of each party at the time on this page.

I'm not really interested in what their opinions were. I'd like to know why the LDP just gave up in spite of not having to give way to the opposition on anything.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

fxgaiToday  08:22 am JST

The only alternative to the big government socialism parties is the Japan Innovation Party. But Japanese voters are conservative and won’t vote for reform.

They won't be much of an alternative to anyone if they only manage to field a couple of dozen candidates.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Although I was kind of hoping this would happen, I still think no matter who I vote for it will just end up being the LDP yet again.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites