More substance, less drama
(From The Japan Times Sept. 12 issue)

政治ショーより政策論議を

Political drama from the Liberal Democratic Party is in full play as five LDP politicians contend for the party presidency. Although the LDP is benefiting from media coverage, the race is taking place only because Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, the LDP president, announced his resignation suddenly without convincing reasons.

About a year before Mr. Fukuda's announcement, his predecessor Mr. Shinzo Abe quit in a similar manner. These two incidents suggest that the LDP's sense of responsibility has weakened. The LDP presidential candidates and the party as a whole should understand how much the LDP's credibility has suffered. The LDP hopes that the presidential race will help heighten people's interest in the party. Its political schedule is clearly designed to steal the show from the Democratic Party of Japan, which will officially choose Mr. Ichiro Ozawa for a third, two-year term as party leader Sept. 21. The next day the LDP will hold a conference of its Diet members and choose their new president, who will subsequently become the next prime minister. The party apparently wants to have the next prime minister dissolve the Lower House while people's interest in the new administration remains high — a tactic aimed at helping the LDP win in the subsequent general election.

But voters have paid a price for permitting politicians to engage in "theatrical politics," as represented by the September 2005 general election in which voters gave an overwhelming victory to the LDP led by then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. It is not certain whether voters this time will behave the same way.

The nation is experiencing negative aspects of the reform policy line introduced by Mr. Koizumi, such as widening economic gaps and an increase in the number of irregularly employed workers. There are also problems related to pensions, medical services and soaring prices. It is hoped that the candidates will deepen policy debates by offering solid proposals that squarely tackle the problems.

政治家5人が総裁に立候補して自民党の政治劇は本格的に始まった。マスコミ報道で自民党は追い風を受けているが、総裁選は福田首相が納得いく理由なしに突然辞任したから行われる。

安倍前首相も一年前に同様の形で辞任しており、自民党の責任感の弱さがみられる。候補者も党も自民党の信頼性の危機を自覚すべきだ。自民党は、小沢氏が民主党代表3期目として9月21日に正式承認される翌日、議員総会で次期首相を選出、国民の関心が高いうちに新首相が衆院解散することで、総選挙での勝利につなげたい考えだ。

しかし小泉元首相の自民党圧勝を招いた「劇場型政治」で痛手を負った投票者が同様に勝利をもたらすとは限らない。小泉政権の構造改革が生んだ経済格差と非正規雇用者増加に直面する日本は、年金、医療、価格高騰の問題も抱える。候補者が政策論議を深め、きちんとした解決策を提示することを望む。