Tokyo Governor Ishihara Shintaro resigned abruptly, beginning to organize a new nationwide political party. He is a queer politician who takes good advantage of opportunities to behave smartly but lacks responsibility. He is formulating a rightist 'third pole', using tricks. His statements, including one on the Senkakus (Diaoyu in Chinese) Islands, have no rationale but show his grotesque sentiment.


LET'S STOP VIOLENT RUN OF RIGHTIST IDEOLOGY


Mr. Ishihara Shintaro had served a member of both Houses in the parliament as a lawmaker of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) before he ran for the Tokyo governor election in 1975. He was intended to topple the metropolitan administration, a progressive one, built by Governor Minobe Ryokichi, but he lost, and then joined again the state politics, elected a member of House of Representatives. In 1989 he ran for the LDP presidential election, but was defeated. Ten years afterwards, in 1999, he was urged to be a candidate for the Tokyo governor election and he won.


He Escapes Responsibility


After obtaining the top position of Tokyo Government, he worked to establish Shin-Ginko Tokyo (Bank of Shin-Ginko Tokyo), spending tax money amounting 140 billion Yen, which includes the additional investment money, to produce finally huge deficits. He insists unilaterally that the failure attributes to the bank management. As for inviting the Olympic Games to Tokyo, he spent a tremendous sum of tax money to lose in vain. Then he makes an excuse, saying that he will pursue the same goal for the Game in 2020, but he suddenly left governorship behind.


One of the most provocative acts is that he commented on the Senkakus Islands. He has damaged Japan's relationships with China, which makes the economic circle embarrassed enough to shout loudly 'don't stimulate the neighbor'. He is carefree as he does not deal with the aftermath. He pretends to be a patriot, but in real term he is just keen in popularity and private interests, being irresponsible. Mr. Ishihara himself is satisfied to be criticized as 'a reckless old runner', but Mr. Kamei Shizuka, an independent politician, proclaimed 'he does not run, but gets exhausted'.


Mr. Ishihara, however, attracts abnormal attentions as a stimulator who might break through the current political stalemate. Thirteen years ago when he referred to China, calling it Shina, a name used during the colonial era, he faced severe civic accusations.


Today, however, his arrogant attitudes do not encounter criticisms. Some people applaud him, though the number is small. A recent survey by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun Newspaper has revealed that as high as 74% of youth in their 20s support his new party.


Declaring to form his new party, Mr. Ishihara claimed; 'a destructive reform of school education system developed after WWII', 'Constitution should be renounced instead of being amended' and 'cars can run over 40 years. Nuclear reactors build with the most sophisticated technologies will not fail in 40 years'.


Violent Run without Reasonable Thought


He does not pay attention to political programs but goes on with his sentiment when building up a rightist third pole. The Ishin-no-kai, a party led by Osaka Mayor Hashimoto Toru, has something like 'a policy', though it just reflects irritations against the current political scene. Nobody can foresee what will happen in the process of coordination of third poles as the groups calculate quickly to behave. Both Ishihara and Hashimoto will soon be exhausted.


In the current society where people are choked, agonizing in the economic gaps, poverty and fear of the nuclear accident. They face many uncertainties. Unless a political force which has a perspective of change is formulated, those who represent abnormal sentiment and irritations will appear one after another. The LDP will take advantage of the developments, which will push the ruling Democratic Party further to be split apart.


The Tokyo governor's election impacts not only on administration of the capital city but also on the whole political framework.


Conscientious people are earnestly preparing to field a candidate who represents voices of pro-Constitution, anti-nuclear power and anti-poverty-and-gaps. If their efforts are successful, that will bring a breakthrough in the political crisis.


November 13, 2012