“The Assassins”

When former Japan Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi called a surprise Lower House election in 2005, a group of conservative, somewhat hawkish younger candidates with international experience who supported his policies were elected. First dubbed "assassins" during the campaign and then "Koizumi's Children" after they won, these people were swept into power promising a variety of reforms. Now, four years later and just weeks from the next election, Koizumi is retired, his reforms and political philosophy are out of favor with the electorate and his children find themselves increasingly abandoned. 

The three most prominent “Koizumi Children”, Ms. Satsuki Katayama, Ms. Kuniko Inoguchi and Ms. Yukari Sato was at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan today, 2009/7/22 to offer their thoughts on the upcoming election.

Ms. Sasuki Katayama spoke on Japan political landscape and the changes therein. Much as Liberal Democratic Party has welded power consistently for 50 years, there have been efforts to work for growth strategy. Her election was from a district with high industrial base. In 2005 when she was elected, there was credit crunch and they had to take loan guarantee to shore up industries and businesses. Next was unemployment with rate of 10 percent then. Ms. Sasuki Katayama brought together Members of Parliament to fight the problem. She spearheaded solving the problem because she felt that voters should not be disappointed. She posited that what is needed now is lively-hood assistance training with vocational training in her district. She was of the opinion that what is need to deemphasize bureaucracy which is the main source of criticism against Liberal Democratic Party. On Prime Minister Taro Aso, Ms. Sasuki Katayama said that because of the present world economic turmoil, Aso shifted idea to major public spending provisions. There appeared to be no option since government had to intervene when market fell. She noted that no matter the “back and forth from time to time” in a capitalist based market, its core is still the best considering free market economy and access to goods and services. She posited that by the end of this year, China will overtake Japan as the 2^nd largest economy in the world.

However, what Japan should do is to sustain low carbon society through eco-systems and maintain its endearing position in East Asia Integration. She called for the establishment of new social system in the line of federal of unicameral system in Japan as a bulwark to political instability.

Ms. Kuniko Inoguchi in her speech regretted that former Prime Minister Koizumi will never return to active politics having retired. It was Koizumi that clipped the wings of fractionalization within Liberal Democratic Party. However, what is needed now is to breakdown bureaucracy like labor unions that Democratic Party of Japan heavily relies on; reform Liberal Democratic Party while deepening democracy. She is also concerned with gender inequality and demographic shift issues, vis-à-vis, falling birthrate and aging population. She had advocated for “free birth”, that is, zero cost for delivery. Ms. Kuniko Inoguchi is however happy that fertility rates that was 1.26 percent per family in before 2005 has increased to 1.37 percent in 2009. For the forth-coming Lower House and Prime Ministerial election, she felt that there is dissatisfaction among Japanese populace. She warned however that Japan should not replay the bubble economy just to bring change by voting Democratic Party of Japan whose fiscal policy has not been made clear.

For Ms. Yukari Sato, Liberal Democratic Party is undergoing self purification process. There is need for generation change, to put new energy. The June 12 election held in Tokyo was a disaster for Liberal Democratic Party, she acknowledged. She however advised that Democratic Party of Japan success must be watched. What the press and public should look out for is the parties’ agenda policy line, basic philosophy supporting policy line. For instance, what kind of society can we build? Do we really want big government, medium or district arrangement? How about social security system? We have aging population, how do we deal with that? Whatever we decide should be for the greater benefit of the Japan. Ms. Yukari Sato warned that Japanese voters should be careful about “tail wind” attitude of Democratic Party of Japan. She stated that Democratic Party of Japan promotes new socialism which is anti-Japanese. While admin change may be so easy to have, before that, a healthy debate on political philosophy is needed. She stated that while it appears the present morale of Japanese people is low, we should contribute to society by burden sharing. She suggested that one or two policy agenda, for instance, Pension Reform, will be needed and should be made clear for public opinion before the coming election.

Yukari Sato is a former economist at Credit Suisse First Boston with a Ph.D. from New York University. Kuniko Inoguchi has served in a number of posts, including Defense Policy Review Council, the Administrative Reform Council and the Gender Equity Council. Satsuki Katayama was a former Finance Ministry official who spent a year in France at the Ecole Nationale d'Administration.

Patrick Nwadike is member, Foreign Correspondent Club of Japan.

nwadike2@gmail.com

Robot  # 1 | 23.07.2009 06:17

When former Japan Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi called a surprise Lower House election in 2005, a group of conservative, somewhat hawkish younger candidates with international experience who supported his policies were elected. First dubbed "assassins" during the campaign and then "Koizumi's Children" after they won, these people were swept into power promising a variety of reforms....Read the full article.