New Japan PM to be picked Oct 1 when extra Diet session begins

Kishida is stepping down at the end of his three-year term in late September, after a slush funds scandal hurt voter confidence in the ruling party.

Result: The rock bottom voter confidence in the LDP will return another insider from the same party who vows to pretty much follow the policies of the previous Kishida admin.

Democracy, gotta love it.

Another hapless feck will replace Kishida who was let's be honest absolutely hopeless.

The process of continuation continues with no real changes and decent policies or ideas in this country.

It doesn't matter who they pick, no one has any actual policies.

You do have to appreciate the fact that Kishida promised to double the defense budget but will not identify any funding sources before he leaves office.

Kono Taro seems to a favorite among many here based on the comments. Of course probably none of the posters who posted positive comments on Kono Taro can vote.

Kono Taro is pushing for nuclear- powered subs perhaps to attract the votes of conservatives but he’s shooting himself in the foot as the Japanese hear nuclear and turn a deaf ear.

Kono Taro is smart but he’s taking himself out of the race with this nuclear subway card imo.

It doesn't matter who they pick, no one has any actual policies.

They do but they are not the ones who make the policies. The weekly meetings in the compound behind the Sanno Hotel are where the shots are called.

Result: The rock bottom voter confidence in the LDP will return another insider from the same party who vows to pretty much follow the policies of the previous Kishida admin. 

Democracy, gotta love it.

If you don’t like one candidate, we’ll give you another one of our candidates.

Western capitalist elites long ago found a hack in the beloved democracy of the West that is declining day by day.

The process of electing elite leaders, as opposed to the people’s choice, can be controlled by capital. Wealthy elites’ control of the media and entities have influence over an election.

They play both sides of the aisle so no matter who gets elected, the interests of the few are always protected against the interests of the masses.

They just have to do their little song and dance every four years to convince the masses they care about and will do all they can to fight against their struggles.

It's the Georgetown (Washington DC) neo-con education.

Kono Taro is pushing for nuclear- powered subs perhaps to attract the votes of conservatives but he’s shooting himself in the foot

quercetumToday 02:43 pm JST

The process of electing elite leaders, as opposed to the people’s choice

If you don’t like one candidate, we’ll give you another one of our candidates.

As previously discussed, if the people aren't happy with a party's (which they have previously elected) choice of leader, they can vote that party out at the next general election. They may have to wait a little while, but they will get that opportunity.

This is a much fairer system than your Chinese autocracy, where the people have zero say over who governs, or what their powers are. Ever.

They play both sides of the aisle so no matter who gets elected, the interests of the few are always protected against the interests of the masses

Politicians do play both side of the aisle, but if they do a bad job, they get voted out next time. If the interests of the masses are ignored long enough, their political career is over.

In your system, there is zero accountability to the people, and zero way for the people to choose or remove politicians (other than local officials with no political power).

Wealthy elites’ control of the media and entities have influence over an election.

Yes, the mass media does influence the election, but the people can discuss politics freely outside of this, and also challenge anything they encounter.

In your system, one is arrested for simply holding up a blank piece of paper.

They just have to do their little song and dance every four years to convince the masses they care about and will do all they can to fight against their struggles.

General elections are a fundamentally important part of the democratic system, and allow the people to choose who they want to govern them, and remove those that do a bad job.

In your system, people have no say. Ever.

Democracy is certainly not perfect but I would argue that it is far fairer than autocracy.