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| February 22, 2011 |
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| Elections in Aichi Prefecture |
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Voters of Nagoya City cast three ballots simultaneously on February 6; for mayor of Nagoya City and governor of Aichi Prefecture as well as in the referendum to agree or disagree of dissolution of the city assembly. The results were astonishing and unprecedented, and thus mass media got alert, too. The outcome suggests controversial effects of the small constituency election system. Politics has been transformed to an instrument of governing without people’s participation. A problem lies also in inability of the Left which failed to present an alternative to voters.
ELECTION RESULTS SHOW ABSENCE OF POLITICAL DYNAMISM
Ballot boxes were opened on the same day. The results, however, did not bring a new start but showed disintegrated local politics.
Kawamura Takashi, who had resigned from the post of Mayor after conflicting with the city assembly late last year, gained 662,000 votes, which is three times bigger than the runner-up, Mr. Ishida Yoshihiro. As Governor of Aichi Prefecture a candidate Ohmura Hideaki won, who had had support from the provincial office of New Komeito, obtaining 1.502 million votes, which exceeded the total vote counts that all the other four candidates of different political parties had. The Minna-no-to (=Your Party) rather retreated, comparing with the feat accomplished in the Upper House elections of July 2010.
The election for assembly of Nagoya City is scheduled on March 13 and Mayor Kawamura is anticipated to win with an overwhelming margin. Meanwhile, his colleague Governor Hashimoto Toru of Osaka Prefecture, who belongs to a local party, the Osaka Restoration Association, suppresses the prefectural assembly and boldly declares to send a candidate to Tokyo to run for the election of governorship scheduled in April. Governor Hashimoto is in high-spirit.
Mayor of Saitama City Shimizu Hayato has founded a local political group, the Saitama Kaien-Tai or Saitama restoration troop, with other four mayors of the prefecture, in spite of his isolation from the local assembly. The mayor takes advantage of the trend seen in Osaka and Nagoya.
Ostensible Policies and Lies
New local parties are born. However extended their links across the country, these bodies are not able to commit in the nation’s politics as far as the policies are concerned.
Mayor Kawamura of Nagoya City proposed to reduce the resident tax rate by 10%, but only those in the high-income strata can enjoy benefits. The reduction brings a decrease in the city’s revenue, which counts 20 billion Yen. Even if the salary of assembly members (currently 16 million Yen a year) is reduced to a half, only 600 million Yen is disposable in the finance. He reduces the city’s corporate tax rate too, and therefore the total sum of bond issue surges under the government of Mayor Kawamura. In the past year the city bond reached 1.85 trillion Yen by an increase of 30 billion Yen.
As for Governor Ohmura, taking advantage of Mayor Kawamura’s performance, he enjoyed a big victory. He has switched from the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). He uttered demagogues that may lead to destruction of democracy: he mentioned ‘revolution of ordinary people’. In fact he denies the principle of dual representation of political system. Even vice-president of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) was astounded, referring to him as ‘similar to Hitler’.
Absence of Political Party to Work for People
In the 2009 general elections the DPJ enjoyed great victory in 15 small constituencies in Aichi Prefecture, which was attributable to the concerted efforts of management-labor of the entire population of the prefecture, the basis of Toyota group. But due to the lingering economic slump, both the DPJ and LDP have lost power to attract voters. Small sub-contractors and workers face many difficulties.
The ruling strata are losing unity. However, the left is too weak and disorganized. It should be a reliable entity. People are split, separated as if they were a particle of sand. This phenomenon has led to the recent election results in the Aichi Prefecture.
Now let’s look at the Diet. No difference is seen between the ruling DPJ and the opposition LDP. The two-big parties will remain, for a while, political players of the country.
Nobody will be surprised at any changes: the principle of parliamentary democracy is being undermined. Public workers are being attacked. Experiences in Osaka and Nagoya certainly give some lessons. The Kawamura-Hashimoto faction will impact on the national politics.
Return Politics to People’s Hand
The number of legislators will be reduced. The Diet will be more separated from people. Members of local assemblies will be reduced and they will have less salary. Either a big party or the rich can survive.
Even now local assemblies and the Diet are inactive due to the structural homogeneity. Passivity will prevail. People’s distrust will grow. Mini-Hitlers may appear here and there.
Local assemblies should be put in the hand of people. Let’s enhance struggles in the coming local elections.
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