The December general elections have ended with a great leap on the side of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and New Komeito, while the former ruling party, Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) was completely defeated. Meanwhile, the Ishin-no-kai (=Restoration Party) and the Minna-no-To (=Your Party) won a sharp increase. Communist Party retreated and the Mirai-no-To and Social Democratic Party (SDP) lost. In the elections for Tokyo governorship held simultaneously the former vice-governor Inose Naoki obtained the history-biggest number of votes, though Candidate Utsunomiya Kenji made a good battle. The election results show us a rapidly going serious social trend toward the right. The key point is how to prepare for the coming Upper House Election scheduled in July 2013.


RIGHTIST POLITICAL TREND GAINS BASE - LET'S FIGHT FOR JULY ELECTIONS OF UPPER HOUSE!


People's indignation over the ruling DPJ was absorbed by the LDP led by Abe Shinzo and the rightist Ishin-no-Kai. Their assertions on defense of 'national territory', Constitution amendment and nuclear armament of the country provoked and attracted voters of young generation who are irritated by the harsh working and living conditions due to the prevailed practice of unstable employment.


Middle-aged and elderly voters were allured by the rightist speeches on economic policy. President of LDP Abe Shinzo had insisted that Bank of Japan should accept bonds without a limit, and consequently, the stock market surged. The electorate was seduced by the phenomena as they long for revival of economic boost.


Mr. Abe asserts that Bank of Japan should undertake government bonds freely; that violates the laws on finance. The policy is a deadly poison that allows the government to procure a fund easily, including a war budget. It reminds us of Hitler who had won people's support for a solution of unemployment by way of public construction works.


Before becoming the government the DPJ had criticized the LDP's rightist trend, but the former leaned to the right to bankrupt itself. The DPJ may be swirled in the reorganization phases of political parties before the scheduled July elections of House of Councilors.


A Third Pole of Rightists Emerged


A third pole has emerged, but that was not an advance of competitions in the small constituencies. The Ishin-no-Kai has won, ranking the second in the proportional representation votes. Adding the Ishin-no-kai's seats to those of Minna-no-To, that counts 72, which makes a bloc of rightists the second most powerful. The LDP leader Abe will be able to replace at any time its partner, New Komeito, with a third bloc.


The Mirai-no-To, a centrist group, had enjoyed a good expectation due to their assertion to split from the government policy of nuclear power generation. But it could not vie with the bloc of rightists. It is because the party has many advocates to revise Constitution and differences were not seen.


The Communist Party fielded candidates in all the constituencies across the country except for No.2 District of Okinawa as it considered over the Social-Democrat candidate, but it retreated. The Social-Democratic Party badly lost in spite of ardent support of the New Socialist Party (NSP). Voters' anger in Okinawa was resulted in a victory of the candidate, but the SDP's declining tendency does not stop.


Both of the Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party have been losing voters' support every state-level election for the past ten years as if they were aboard the same ship, though their speed of declination differs due to organizational potential.


In the Tokyo governorship election Candidate Utsunomiya Kenji unified political conscience of people of broad strata, which organized all political parties and citizens who have no specific political affiliation together. The candidate consistently demanded to 'defend Constitution' and 'oppose nuclear power and poverty'. This stance was supported by the Mirai-no-To and part of DPJ's members. This experience should grow to reach a state-level election. However, ex-vice governor candidate Inose, who is close to former Governor Ishihara, gained an unprecedented big number of 4.3 million votes.


Abe's Policy to Amend Constitution - from Article 96


The LDP's President Abe declared soon after the election to revise Article 96 (that requests two-thirds or more votes of all the members of each House to amend the Constitution). The new LDP government will re-operate nuclear power plants, review a constitutional interpretation on the right of collective defense and approve a transfer of US military missions to a new base at Henoko, Okinawa.


Fate of Constitution will heavily rely on the elections in July. Pro-constitution forces must not allow the forces that want amendment of Constitution and re-operation of nuclear power stations to occupy seats in the Upper House.


On the basis of policy agreement between the SDP and NSP, let's prepare for the Upper House election. Let's reconstruct immediately a front of anti-nuclear and pro-constitution forces in unity with activists of broad strata who work enthusiastically in the communities and labor movements. The New Socialist Party of Japan expects Communist Party to decide on cooperation in the coming election to win seats of pro-constitution candidates.


December 25, 2012