DPJ's new manifesto is not verifiable without goals and timelines

要約

In the 2009 Lower House election, the manifesto of the Democratic Party of Japan played an important role in bringing the party to power. It contained goals expressed in numerical figures and timelines for achieving them.

Many voters who read the manifesto voted for the party, hoping their lives would improve. As the manifesto also served as a yardstick to measure the achievement of the DPJ government, there is a general perception that the DPJ betrayed such voters.

In writing its manifesto for the Dec. 16 Lower House election, the DPJ appears to have overreacted to this situation. It contains very few numerical goals and no timelines for achieving election promises. It contains many expressions that enable the party to make an excuse in case it fails to carry out its promises.

Such an election manifesto will not be helpful in reviving the party's strength. Although the DPJ says it is a party for ordinary citizens, the new manifesto does not have much appeal.

According to the DPJ, the party achieved about 30 percent of the items included in the 2009 manifesto. The DPJ admits that it had an arrogant attitude that it would be able to do anything once it came to power. It also said that the party was immature for not realizing that running the government is a difficult job. This conclusion should not be used as an excuse for not making serious efforts to overcome obstacles in the way of the party's efforts to implement policies.

The DPJ's new manifesto contains some discrepancies with the government's policy. The party's call to phase out nuclear power by the end of the 2030s includes a review of the nuclear fuel cycle. Yet, the government has decided to continue this project.

While Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda is eager for Japan to enter talks on joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade zone, the DPJ does not take a particularly strong stance with regard to the TPP, leaving the decision to the prime minister.

Liberal Democratic Party chief Shinzo Abe has criticized the DPJ's manifesto as phony. But he must realize that, unlike the LDP in the last election, the DPJ at least presented a manifesto that was verifiable, with concrete goals and timelines. Both parties should strive to come up with manifestoes for solving the nation's problems in a realistic and verifiable manner.

日本語の抄訳はウィークリー12月8日号のP18に掲載されています。