Prime Minister dissolved the Lower House to call general elections on December 14. Nobody sincerely believes Premier’s explanation that he will ask the electorate whether to approve postponement of the consumption tax hike. His statement cannot be a ‘reason’ of the election. It is prolongation of regime that Prime Minister Abe wants in order to overcome debacle of his Abenomics strategy and liquidate legacies schemed after the World War II.


LET’S BRING END TO VIOLENT POLITICS


Abe Government Uses Illicit Means


The so-called Abenomics revival policy comprises of fiscal and financial steps in which as if morphine and stimulant were simultaneously administered. That is impossible.


In fact national economy does not grow. That is why the Abe administration was obliged to delay the planned consumption tax hike in October 2015. Official bonds have lost trust in the market, while the government has managed to heighten stock prices. Fears for risks linger heavily around pension funds traded to invest into the stock market. These elements gloom the economy. In contrast to cheap Yen appreciation and frantic stock prices, gaps expand between the rich and the poor, small business owners struggle in agony, the numbers of suicides and applicants for Life Protection benefits increase, the elderly become poor and workers suffer from unstable employment terms.


Endeavour to conceal failures of the Abe’s strategy is at a critical point. Sole options for the government are to ‘deregulate’ labor and medical institutions, cut off welfare budgets, reduce corporate tax rates and raise the consumption tax. Under the circumstances Premier Abe has decided to reset his regime so that it may maintain power for another four-year term, disregarding a possible decrease in the parliamentary seats.


Furthermore, Prime Minister has an ambition. That is the fourth factor of his package ? liquidation of post-war legacies. He has found breakthroughs; developing nuclear power generation and exporting weapons. He has arranged legislation to strengthen Japan-US Defense Guidelines and cope with execution of the right of collective self-defense, being ready to restart nuclear plants and construct a new military base at Henoko, Okinawa. He is to engage in revising the constitution.


New Regime - Delusion


After the December election for the Lower House one for the Upper House is scheduled in July 2016. A second-stage hike of the consumption tax rate was postponed until April 2017. Premier Abe foresees: he could overcome the 2016 election despite illicit tactics in the politics and ‘a new regime’ might be realized along the line of his grandfather, a war-criminal Kishi Shinsuke, as he could split opposition parties and they could not be powerful enough to trounce his party.


Let’s look at opposition forces. They are dismayed. The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) is to cooperate with the Minna-no-to (=Your Party) and the Ishin (=Restoration Party). The DPJ may increase seats in the Diet, but cannot confront the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (=LDP). The Communist Party, as usual, goes on its way to ‘defeat the LDP as a unique opposition party’. The Social-Democratic Party is not in the favorable conditions.


Fearing for the uncertainties, civic groups in various sectors have struggled to get united. The Anti-War Committee of 1000 is one of these movements. Unfortunately, the election will be held before all political works are ready. Campaigns to organize a political front, however, will be more necessary after December against war, nuclear and neo-liberalism.


The New Socialist Party has cooperated with the Social-Democratic Party in the Diet elections in order to stop violent politics, responding to local constituency conditions. We must defend our fortress against ambitions of the Abe government. The upcoming elections will be held in the worst circumstances in the post-war history both in terms of objective and subjective conditions. Let’s make utmost efforts without hesitation.


November 24, 2014