Voters Choose Moderate Change

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, or the party itself, LDP solely secured 261, maintaining its overwhelming power in the House. 

              Here are some reasons. The resignation of former unpopular Premier Yoshihide Suga paved the way to evade criticisms against the successor. Steep decline in the number of patients of COVID-19 eased public resentment on mishandlings that caused loss of life or job and economic slump. The decision of having general election after expiration of four-year term, for the first time under current constitution, was not a blunder for LDP. 

              However, overwhelming element of LDP victory could also be an expectation for moderate change. Most voters were tired of arrogant politics exercised by former LDP Prime Ministers, symbolically represented by Shinzo Abe who promoted the rich-oriented economic policy, harshly denounced political enemies and gave preference to his close friends, and devalued public anger to the helps never on the way in dealing with COVID-19 broad infection. Such sentiment against obsolete politics was appeared in a bitter defeat of LDP Secretary General Akira Amari, a close colleague of Abe, in his constituency. 

              According to Constitution of Japan, the Cabinet shall resign en masse on the first convocation of the Diet after a general election of House of Representatives. It is likely that Kishida is going to reshuffle, in large or small, his Cabinet and board members of LDP. He is reportedly replacing Amari to current Minister of Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi, a move which may indicate reunion of traditional "main stream" conservatives in the party. 

              One of the biggest points in this election was dropping out of big names in either the leading party or the opposite. They include Amari or Nobuteru Ishihara of LDP and Ichiro Ozawa or Kishiro Nakamura of CDP. It is sure that the voters want refreshing the leaders who handle policies crucial for ordinary people.

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