Political chaos stirred up by Japanese right

By Geng Xin Source:Global Times Published: 2012-11-20 21:45:05

 

Illustration: Liu Rui
Illustration: Liu Rui



After the dissolution of the lower house of parliament on November 16, the Japanese government will probably set a record of seven prime ministers in seven years, previously unheard of in the country.

Japan's politics is going through a chaotic period. The upcoming parliamentary elections are likely to be the most complicated ever, with numerous parties, competing ideologies, and a confused political order.  

The fundamental source of all this is the ongoing economic stagnation in Japan, and the shift of political orientation.

Against the background of global financial crisis, and with no sign of recovery in Europe, the Japanese economy is finding it hard to get off the ground again.

According to a November 8 survey by Tokyo Shoko Research, 1,035 businesses with liabilities of more than 100 billion yen ($12.3 million) closed in Japan in October, a 6 percent increase year on year. And their total liabilities had increased by 53.5 percent.

The decade of stagnation in Japan, coupled with the global financial crisis, the Fukushima disaster, and the negative effects caused by island disputes with neighbors, have made economic "failure" a critical part of Japanese politics.

No party's policies can produce the economic miracles Japanese hope for, so when politicians come into power, their approval rate consequently plummets and their policies are difficult to enforce. This produces political chaos and the constant changes of leadership. 

Another cause is uncertain shift of Japan's political orientation. Over the past six decades since the end of World War II, ordinary Japanese have strongly hoped to change Japan's political image and international position. Japanese politicians thus chant slogans about building Japan into a big political power.

Nevertheless, faced with economic decline, they can't produce these results, leading to an unbalanced political mentality. Moreover, unlike the Germans, who have reflected on the legacy of World War II, the Japanese mainstream has not fully confronted historical crimes. 

All of this promotes conservative, even reactionary, tendencies within Japanese society. Although few go to extremes, conservative tendencies are increasingly apparent in Japanese society.

Such deeply rooted reactionary feelings produce politicians like former Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara, leading a new political party at these elections, who openly calls for the revival of Japanese militarism and praises the country's bloody imperial history.

Ishihara and others like him are attempting a political merger in an attempt to become a new force in Japanese politics, which is adding to a political and social mess.

We shouldn't underestimate the influence of Ishihara and others like him on future Japanese policies, including the amendment of the constitution to remove the pacifist clauses, even though he might not have an effect on the country's current diplomatic policies.

Ishihara may not have that much of an impact on the current elections, and is strikingly unlikely to become prime minister or even influence the choice. However, it is quite obvious that his faction has helped shift Japanese politics to the right.

This may further affect Japan's national direction and cause a deterioration in its diplomatic relations, whether with China or with the US. Japan needs a peaceful and stable environment to develop and, if its attempts at international cooperation are damaged, the domestic situation will become even worse.

But things are changing, and the old days are gone. It will be hard for the conservatives, represented by Ishihara, to succeed, and the general tendency of Japan's integration into international society is also hard to change.

There will still be political chaos for a while because Japanese politics needs to mature, the economy needs to transform, and a healthy and stable new political direction needs to be found. But only after the Japanese right has had a sharp shock or two will they learn their lesson and return to peaceful development.

The author is deputy director of the Tokyo-based Japan-China Communication Institute. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn



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