Japan’s next PM must work quickly on virus, economy

TOKYO, Sept. 28 (BNA) The stakes rose as members of Japan’s ruling party voted on Wednesday for four candidates seeking to replace Yoshihide Suga as prime minister. The next leader must contend with a pandemic-stricken economy, newly empowered military action in a dangerous region, critical relations with an inward-focused ally, Washington, and a tense security standoff with powerful China and its ally North Korea.

For the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party that often chooses its leaders in backcountry negotiations, this election promises to be wide open. Because of the party’s control of Parliament, its leader will become prime minister, according to the Associated Press.

Whoever wins, the party desperately needs new ideas to quickly wrap around faltering public support ahead of the upcoming House elections in two months, observers say.

Unusually, two women – conservative Sana Takaichi and more liberal Seiko Noda – are competing against Taro Kono, Minister of Vaccinations, and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida.

Takaichi, with the decisive support of Suga’s predecessor, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who supports her conservative vision and revisionist stance, has risen rapidly, while Noda’s chances are fading.

Political observers say Abe’s support for Takaishi may be an attempt to improve the party’s sexual image and divert votes from Kono, who is seen as something of a dissident and reformer.

Yu Oshiyama, a professor of political science at the University of Tokyo, said that little change is expected in major diplomatic and security policies under the new leader.

All candidates support the close security ties between Japan and the United States and partnerships with other like-minded democracies in Asia and Europe, in part as a way to counter the growing influence of China.

READ MORE  South Korean economy appears to be on upswing as manufacturing rebounds

Kono and Kishida are former top diplomats. They and Noda stressed the need for dialogue with China as an important neighbor and trading partner. The four candidates advocate maintaining close “working relations” with Taiwan, the self-governing island of which China claims, and its intention to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade bloc and other international organizations.

In a series of policy debates, the four candidates discussed issues of diplomacy, economics, energy and defense, as well as issues of gender equality and sexual diversity, which the male-dominated conservative party has rarely discussed in the past.

Ryosuke Nishida, professor of sociology and public policy at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, said the inclusion of gender and diversity indicates that the party knows it cannot continue to neglect issues.

Takaishi alone is against changing the law that forces married couples to use only one surname – always the husband’s name. She also vowed to make official visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors the dead of World War II, including war criminals, and is seen by many in China and the two Koreas as evidence of Japan’s lack of remorse for its wartime actions.

Other candidates are likely to refrain from visiting Yasukuni due to the fallout from relations with China and South Korea.

Support for the Suga government has waned over its handling of the coronavirus and its insistence on hosting the Tokyo Olympics during the pandemic. Analysts have also linked part of his loss of support to the party’s complacency and the increasingly authoritarian approach forged during Abe’s long years of leadership.

READ MORE  Maintenance work of Al-Nesef and Al-Fadhel Mosques completed

Wednesday’s vote is seen as a test of whether the party can emerge from Abe’s shadow. Experts say his influence in government and party affairs has largely muzzled diverse views, and has steadily shifted the party to the right.

“What is at stake is the state of democracy in Japan, and whether the new leader is willing to listen to the people’s voices and take them into political consideration,” Uchiyama said. “Prime Minister Suga clearly had a problem communicating with people and did not provide accountability.”

Unlike the previous vote, when Suga’s selection was largely a done deal by party leaders, Wednesday’s vote was more difficult, with most factions allowing free voting by their own member deputies, a rare move for the party.

Many general voters are watching the party vote, and ruling party deputies in turn are paying close attention to public opinion as they seek re-election in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

The party vote could end an era of extraordinary political stability — despite scandals and strained security ties with China and the two Koreas — and return short-lived prime ministers to Japan’s “revolving door” leadership, starting with Suga.

He is leaving Suga just one year after taking office as a hitter for Abe, who abruptly resigned due to health issues, ending nearly eight years of his leadership, the longest in Japan’s constitutional history.

Ratings of support for Suga and his government have recovered slightly since announcing his resignation in early September, when virus infections began to slow. The number of new daily cases fell to 2,129 on Sunday, about a tenth of the level in mid-August. Japan has recorded about 1.69 million cases and 17,500 deaths.

READ MORE  Asia stocks on guard for earnings, China economy surprises

Much of the sharp drop in cases is attributed to the advancement of vaccination; About 56% of the country is now fully vaccinated.

The government is expected to lift a month-old coronavirus-related emergency on September 30, and people are looking forward to returning to their daily lives. Meanwhile, opposition parties have not been able to position themselves as instruments of viable change.

“Many people tend to respond to issues that directly affect their daily lives but pay little attention to political opinions and issues such as national security,” Nishida said. “Once the infection slows, virus fears will quickly fade, and even the Olympics will be remembered favorably.”

RAE

Source link

Leave a Comment