J Update

Seeking resilience from bitter defeat in the general election last month, Constitutional Democratic Party, second largest among all national parties, elected Kenta Izumi for their new president on Tuesday. While he was successful in reuniting the party to some extent, obtaining firm support from each inner groups, it was still not clear when and how he would take the administrative power back from leading Liberal Democratic Party. No one in CDP even seems to expect him to be Prime Minister so soon. Japanese politics will not see no change from the structure of solar system centered by LDP.      After reducing the seats in the election of House of Representative a month ago, the party leader and founder Yukio Edano announced his resignation without detailed assessment of the result of the race. The main issue must have been whether cooperation in the election with Japan Communist Party was good or bad. But, no one of four candidates for the president referred to the future...

Japanese economy relies further on deficit of future generation. Cabinet led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida decided on Friday an extra budget that would amount new record of ¥36 trillion ($317 billion) of spending, two-third of the amount would be appropriated by new issuance of government bonds. Total balance of accumulated bonds is going to reach historical new high of ¥1 quadrillion at the end of next March. The government has shown no reliable plan of repayment.      Upholding policy change from growth-oriented to distribution, Kishida focuses on helping people damaged from COVID-19 infection. The stimulus package includes ¥100 thousand relief for a child 18 years old or younger, for a college student with little income and for a family with income as low as resident tax is exempted. Mid- or small businesses that sufferes from economic downturn will receive government support for their revitalization.       Kishida is eager to raise salary of fund...

In the first meeting after the general election of the House of Representatives last month, the Diet of Japan constitutionally elected Fumio Kishida as 101st Prime Minister of Japan on Wednesday. Kishida immediately organized his cabinet, which actually resulted in a minor change from the former one. However, it is possibly rather the big change in power balance inside the leading Liberal Democratic Party.     One of Kishida's important agenda is getting rid of neo-liberalism economics that has been upheld by LDP sidestream. Yes, LDP has mainstream and sidestream, since Kakuei Tanaka succeeded Prime Minister Eisaku Sato in 1972. Although Sato assumed Takeo Fukuda, who upheld pro-Taiwan and moderate financial policy, as his successor, Tanaka won LDP presidential election with popular pro-China and rapid growth policy. That is engraved in LDP history as the First Kaku-Fuku War. Even after Tanaka resigned due to the Lockheed scandal, his group maintained latent power over the adm...

The 49th general election of House of Representatives resulted in absolute majority for leading Liberal Democratic Party, which meant stable political basis with the chairs and majority in each standing committees. Constitutional Democratic Party, leading opposite, failed in catching anti-LDP votes, handing them over to Restoration Party that would form the third party. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida may regard the outcome as credibility to his administration. It is sure that he achieved certain momentum for his one month young administration.                 During the campaign, LDP set the victory line at simple majority, 233 seats out of all 465 by combining with coalition partner Komeito. As ballot boxes was gradually opened Sunday night, a number of LDP candidates appeared to have win the battle ground constituencies and also accumulated seats in proportional elections. Against pessimistic predictions of media...