A new opposition political party will be established September 15. What will its basic stance be? Some claim that three trends of the Democratic Party, the Social-Democratic Party and the Communist Party will be merged into two poles. How will the new party impact on the constitutional opposition bloc?

WHERE WILL NEW PARTY LEAD OPPOSITION FORCES TO?

Basic agenda of the former Democratic Party founded two decades ago are inherited to the new party: its draft program has maintains the important points firmly.

They include preservation of three constitutional rules under the Emperor system (as the symbol of the State and unity of the people) and continuation of debates on the Constitution in a future prospect as well as diplomacy based on the US-Japan military alliance. A term, alliance, implies the US-Japan Security Treaty concluded in the 1950s, and it is not equal to US-Japan relations. And therefore, the new party is not a centrist between capitalism and socialism, but a mid-of-the road holder between respect and amendment of the Constitution.

Explicit description of No! to nuclear power generation

Meanwhile, the new party reflects sincere review on neo-liberalism, whose defects have been exposed largely in the society under the circumstances of Lehman Shock and pandemic. A rule of ‘achievement of market fundamentalism’, which used to be the former-Democratic Party’s principle, is removed and the ‘excessive self-responsibility statute’ is rejected. Instead, the new party’s program explicitly specifies ‘dissolution of social inequalities’ and ‘No! to nuclear power generation’.

The draft program represents the new party’s characteristic - a party predominantly depending on parliamentary members. Three years ago, the ‘Party of Hopes’ was established, which collapsed the Minshin Party. Under the circumstances the present Constitutional Democratic Party was founded through strong pushes of civic groups. Judging from the repeated reorganizations of political groups, a party which lacks civic and mass organizations is vulnerable in the small-constituency electoral system, in particular. A parliamentary member-led party is likely to be easily split and merged.

In addition, the current social atmosphere is harsh. The new party, which has organizational weakness, will have to sail safely in the stormy ocean. Though the Abe administration has resigned after surviving almost eight years, harming people, it has rapidly regained its popularity lately. On the other hand, however, the opposition camp has lost credibility.

Japanese politicians will be obliged to select one of the two: a path based on the US-Japan military alliance or diplomacy relied on the rule of Article Nine of the Constitution under the today’s confrontational postures of the US and China. Who will owe financial burden to cope with the anti-pandemic measures? Mr. Edano Yukio, the leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party, suggested reducing the consumption tax rate. Will the new party be able to propose a drastic income redistribution policy? The ‘new party’ may swing back and forth from time to time.

Reactions of Social-Democratic Party

Hoping that the new party will go along the right political line in order to curb the ruling bloc of the LDP, the Komeito and the Ishin, we, as an opposition force, will commit sincerely in organizing mass movements and seeking for joint maneuver with the opposition camp. Furthermore, it is indispensable to develop a third pole in a parallel manner. Its existence will not only work as a coordinator in the elections between the new party and the Communist Party.

If a political force that counterattacks big capitals so as to fully carry out the constitutional principles wins strong support of people, the new party will embrace it.

As for the Social-Democratic Party (SDP), its Declaration provides ‘progressive taxation and a review of the current corporation tax system’, ‘reduction, reorganization and dissolution of the Self Defense Forces with an objective to disarm Japan’, and ‘conversion of the US-Japan Security Treaty to a peace treaty’. These policies are quite different from the new party’s schema. Will the SDP work together with mass movements in favor of environment and labor and against nuclear power generation and poverty?

A focal point lies in whether the SDP will get ready for the general elections to come, not converging into the new party.

September 15, 2020