Main opposition party to focus on fighting rising prices, expanding free education

Good luck, but we all know Japan is a one party country with rotating Prime Ministers only

Main opposition party to focus on fighting rising prices, expanding free education

That make sense, too bad it's from opposition party with less seat to decide things.

Japan's main opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, says it will focus on fighting rising prices, expanding free education and creating a security policy from the public's perspective ahead of the upper house race this summer.

With their anodyne proposals the CPDJ looks to be setting itself up for a type of second party opposition like the US mainstream two party system.

I am beginning to develop the opinion that all elected offices should be non-partisan and the only campaign donations a politician may receive are from registered voters who's voting address lies within the geographic boundaries of the district or region the office the candidate is running for governs. Donations from any other source, be it a corporation, a union, a political party or any other entity would be prohibited. Individuals and candidates could join political parties but like municipal elections where I live, they are non partisan. There is no ruling party in the city council. I think this would go a long way towards reducing the division and toxicity of representative government.

The opposition did get in in the noughties, promising to give everyone 26,000 a month child benefit per child and to make the highways free. It may have been the GFC's fault, but neither promise was kept. They got kicked out after the Tohoku disaster and have been out of office ever since.

I don't like the LDP and would be in favour of someone else having a go, but don't think making promises that won't be kept is a route to sustained electoral success. fwiw, we don't pay "gakuhi" fees for our SHS daughter already. The income cap for not paying in Nagano is 7.2 million yen. I'd imagine other prefectures are the same.

dagonToday  07:47 am JST

Japan's main opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, says it will focus on fighting rising prices, expanding free education and creating a security policy from the public's perspective ahead of the upper house race this summer.

With their anodyne proposals the CPDJ looks to be setting itself up for a type of second party opposition like the US mainstream two party system.

At least they're more focused on what ordinary people need, rather than ramping up defense spending and throwing away money on zombie companies - many of which I suspect are owned by important LDP supporters.

CDPJ trying to have a race with LDP on who can spend more money that the politicians don’t have.

Go Ishin.

fxgaiToday  12:07 pm JST

CDPJ trying to have a race with LDP on who can spend more money that the politicians don’t have.

Go Ishin.

Yes, where have Ishin gone? They made a bit of noise around the time of the last lower house election but since then they appear to have become yet another marginalised opposition party. Notice, for instance, that this article is about the CDPJ's policies, not Ishin's.

making high school and university tuition free.

Yes to free university education. High school degree is no longer enough for mere survival.

All you need is a charismatic leader who had a grandfather who was a former PM. Good luck on that one. LDP gets a pass on the charismatic point.

At least they're more focused on what ordinary people need,

Because talk is cheap. CDPJ would lose current seats in lower house if like this dodging the most sensitive issue as of today. These posters know ....

all talk just kind of crap.

remember when Hatoyama from same party was PM and what were his promises he have forgot right next day in office?

The opposition did get in in the noughties, promising to give everyone 26,000 a month child benefit per child and to make the highways free. It may have been the GFC's fault, but neither promise was kept. They got kicked out after the Tohoku disaster and have been out of office ever since.

All talk no action is a signature move of DPJ derivatives

making high school and university tuition free.

Yes to free university education. High school degree is no longer enough for mere survival.

Univ-level education for free doesn't mean everyone can go and graduate univ. YES? That's a big waste of bloody tax money.

All talk no action is a signature move of DPJ derivatives

And that is the propaganda LDP love to spread do you realise if CDPJ actually took control of the upper house LDP would be all talk no action as well ... Oh wait they are already because of all the factions they have and the Nippon Kaiga pulling the strings.

And that is the propaganda LDP love to spread do you realise if CDPJ actually took control of the upper house LDP would be all talk no action as well ... Oh wait they are already because of all the factions they have and the Nippon Kaiga pulling the strings.

Oh James. Another character...lol

Nippon Kaiga ... Art?

Maybe yes or maybe not. Assume whichever parties with such premises that "all talk", you just cannot dodge the most sensitive issue in pledge campaigns and Japanese voters are not as stupid as you folks think.

Japanese voters are not as stupid as you folks think.

I agree Japanese are smart, funny and some of the finest people I know.

I have many Japanese friends and when the conversation happens to turn to politics I'm surprised at how many don't understand even the basics of the Japanese political system. Especially surprising was my father in law who graduated from Tokyo University.

Once I explained to him how the Japanese Upper house works he understood why DPJ was unable to follow through with any of their promises.

I could spend time explaining it but easier if you just go here: https://www.tokyoreview.net/2019/07/japan-explained-house-of-councilors/

JamesToday  06:31 pm JST

Japanese voters are not as stupid as you folks think.

I agree Japanese are smart, funny and some of the finest people I know.

I have many Japanese friends and when the conversation happens to turn to politics I'm surprised at how many don't understand even the basics of the Japanese political system. Especially surprising was my father in law who graduated from Tokyo University.

Once I explained to him how the Japanese Upper house works he understood why DPJ was unable to follow through with any of their promises.

I could spend time explaining it but easier if you just go here: https://www.tokyoreview.net/2019/07/japan-explained-house-of-councilors/

Oh James. Thanks for the link which I will enjoy after our supper that I must cook myself for my family.

Once I explained to him how the Japanese Upper house works he understood why DPJ was unable to follow through with any of their promises.

@James

I didn't read it as I didn't have to...

Unless DPJ was or CDPJ is complaining about that system itself, campaign pledges are to be made taking all for granted. It is not pledges but just hopes. Hatoyama actually spit NG words in public, like people are too stupid...

Unless DPJ was or CDPJ is complaining about that system itself, 

Well that's the thing they did and are complaining about it. Hence they said they were not making large promises at the Lower House election last year as they don't have a majority in the upper house and they know (from when DPJ was in power last time) that it means nothing will get done and it would just be empty promises.

Giving the opposition parties more seats than LDP in the upper house in this coming elections would prevent any new legislation from LDP thereby putting them in the same boat of empty promises.

Nippon Kaiga

oh my bad Nippon Kaigi

Well that's the thing they did and are complaining about it. Hence they said they were not making large promises at the Lower House election last year as they don't have a majority in the upper house and they know (from when DPJ was in power last time) that it means nothing will get done and it would just be empty promises.

Giving the opposition parties more seats than LDP in the upper house in this coming elections would prevent any new legislation from LDP thereby putting them in the same boat of empty promises.

Good Luck with that. All they have to do is to get majority seats upper or lower.

Helpless.... as a so-called major opposition party

kennyGToday  04:46 pm JST

Univ-level education for free doesn't mean everyone can go and graduate univ

Of course it doesn't. Who do you imagine would think of anything so ridiculous?

Upper House First would be best outcome for CDPJ. Give LDP a taste of their own medicine.

But reality is LDP have a base of about 30% in most areas and with the general LDP propaganda of it isn't worth bothering to vote and opposition party aren't anything special works so well and we can tell by how low the voter turnout is here in Japan.

It was what 55% in 2021...

JamesApr. 28  10:25 pm JST

Upper House First would be best outcome for CDPJ. Give LDP a taste of their own medicine.

But reality is LDP have a base of about 30% in most areas and with the general LDP propaganda of it isn't worth bothering to vote and opposition party aren't anything special works so well and we can tell by how low the voter turnout is here in Japan.

The LDP definitely aren't anything special either, but they also have the urban and rural vote value disparity in their favour.

The LDP definitely aren't anything special either, but they also have the urban and rural vote value disparity in their favour.

The vote value disparity seems not catching up the gap of approval rating between LDP and CDPJ. Easy math. A main opposition party is expected to flip twice or even three times disparity over to win the ruling rather than keep whining

Of course it doesn't. Who do you imagine would think of anything so ridiculous?

Just in case for the sake of voters so tired from day-to-day lives as to be illuded for something so special

May not as affordable as US or other what you call advanced countries, yet, Japan does have scholarship/financial supports already for those deserve receiving highest education. I rather feel more positive for CDPJ to all talk to make senior high school for free including not only tuitions but also meals, uniforms, yearly trips, everything.

kennyGToday  06:43 pm JST

The LDP definitely aren't anything special either, but they also have the urban and rural vote value disparity in their favour.

The vote value disparity seems not catching up the gap of approval rating between LDP and CDPJ. Easy math.

What? There's no correlation between them. Approval ratings fluctuate and can't be completely relied upon. The vote value disparity is a solid fact.

A main opposition party is expected to flip twice or even three times disparity over to win the ruling rather than keep whining

Why should one party have to do so much more to win a majority than another, because of a flaw in the electoral system?

Why should one party have to do so much more to win a majority than another, because of a flaw in the electoral system?

All I am saying is that if you are called a main opposition party, move the mountain sometimes like Takako Doi once described it , rather than keep whining about 2.0-3.0 disparity ratio.

kennyG

Today 09:50 pm JST

All I am saying is that if you are called a main opposition party, move the mountain sometimes like Takako Doi once described it ,

The ruling party should be moving mountains every day but I don't see them doing a whole lot.

rather than keep whining about 2.0-3.0 disparity ratio.

You don't have any problem with it, then?

You don't have any problem with it, then?

 the urban and rural vote value disparity in itself is neutral to any party which could also have it in their favour too

kennyGToday  05:33 am JST

You don't have any problem with it, then?

 the urban and rural vote value disparity in itself is neutral to any party which could also have it in their favour too

It's been ruled as unconstitutional and courts have asked more than once for it to be rectified. The LDP have done very little about this, because it favours voters in depopulated rural areas, where individual politicians have cultivated strong support bases among people who tend to hold more conservative views and are paid off with pork barrel spending, e.g. keeping zombie companies on life support. The vote value disparity will never work out in favour of any other party that doesn't have the same number of candidates as the LDP and a similar amount of funding.

It's been ruled as unconstitutional and courts have asked more than once for it to be rectified.

The results of total 16 lawsuits. Constitutional 9 Unconstitutional state( different from unconstitutoinal) 7

Awaiting supreme court judgement. That is what it is now.

https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASQ3966NTQ39UTIL014.html

The LDP have done very little about this, because it favours voters in depopulated rural areas, where individual politicians have cultivated strong support bases among people who tend to hold more conservative views

Other parties' politicians had better make more efforts to do the same, regardless voters views. If they can't change their views favoring LDP, then that's all there is to it.

and are paid off with pork barrel spending, e.g. keeping zombie companies on life support.

If those can be proven illegal acts, all they have to do is to bring the cases to the courts.

The vote value disparity will never work out in favour of any other party that doesn't have the same number of candidates as the LDP and a similar amount of funding.

Increase the number of candidates then and seek for funding source needed somewhere.

See nothing above is essential factors to my eyes.

kennyGToday  11:10 am JST

See nothing above is essential factors to my eyes.

So as far as you're concerned it's not really a problem if one area has twice as many Diet members as another area of the same size but only half the population.

So as far as you're concerned it's not really a problem if one area has twice as many Diet members as another area of the same size but only half the population.

I wouldn’t say it is not really a problem, I would say there are more fundamental problems in the system

kennyGToday  01:42 pm JST

So as far as you're concerned it's not really a problem if one area has twice as many Diet members as another area of the same size but only half the population.

I wouldn’t say it is not really a problem, I would say there are more fundamental problems in the system

So would I. Such as?

So would I. Such as?

Simon. Good to be having personal conversation like this which is rare but .... I am not sure if I want to go on.

I don't like Japan has upper and lower house system. Too many elections and too many zombie parties and zombie politicians which are struggling to get 2% or 5 diet members to say something to survive.

I don't like too many assembly members, nationally, prefectural level , and even small municipally

I don't like so common all talks-no action by all parties and you don't even know even a bit about each candidates at all.

I don't like those who got down voted can revive through proportional representation.

I like where people gets much much more serious to chose leaders, all of us. Thus simple and transparent system is needed.

kennyGToday  05:51 pm JST

So would I. Such as?

Simon. Good to be having personal conversation like this which is rare but .... I am not sure if I want to go on.

I don't like Japan has upper and lower house system.

Fair enough, I think it's a kind of hybrid system that really doesn't work very well. There's no real need for two houses when one party controls both, and when the opposition control the upper house the government basically becomes useless.

Too many elections and too many zombie parties and zombie politicians which are struggling to get 2% or 5 diet members to say something to survive.

True. People who want a change of government shouldn't waste their votes on them. I have a few issues with the LDP and I think a lot of the opposition politicians have good ideas but terrible strategies and tactics. The CDPJ shouldn't be bothering trying to collaborate with the JCP or the DPP, for instance. It just sends out the message that they don't think they can win a majority by themselves so they'll compromise on their policies and principles just to get elected.

I don't like those who got down voted can revive through proportional representation.

The parties shouldn't keep running with the same failed candidates election after election either.

Simon

Seems we have points to share

kennyGApr. 30  07:10 pm JST

Simon

Seems we have points to share

I certainly don't disagree with you on any of the issues you raised. Personally, I want an opposition party to either kick the LDP out of power or scare them into raising their game and doing a better job. However the opposition appear to be institutionally useless.