Campaign Policies: Diplomacy and Security

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba upheld his personal policies in the presidential election of the Liberal Democratic Party in September. While the LDP included one of them, revision of Japan-U.S. State of Forces Agreement, in the campaign policies in the campaign policies, as saying “We seek Japan-U.S. SOFA as it should be,” it dropped creating Asian version of NATO that received skepticism from U.S. and Asian countries. 

Ishiba basically succeeds security policies from his predecessor, Fumio Kishida. The LDP campaign policy package includes commitment on the Three Security Documents – National Security Strategy of Japan, National Defense Strategy and Defense Buildup Program – which were approved by Kishida administration in December, 2022.

 

Kishida started building up defense budget, adding 43 trillion yen through 2023 to 2027. While some LDP presidential candidates argued that the budget could be raised without additional taxation, Ishiba does not deny Kishida’s policy with rise of income tax, corporate tax and tobacco tax, which has yet been imposed so far.

 

The Constitutional Democratic Party argues that it will doublecheck defense budget hike by Kishida administration and promises that it will never introduce tax increase. Positioning himself at center-right, CDP leader Yoshihiko Noda puts Japan-U.S. alliance at the center of Japanese diplomacy and security, as the LDP does, insisting on keeping Japan’s exclusively defense-oriented policy. Japan Innovation Party, or Nippon Ishin-no kai, has mostly the same policies as LDP.

 

Japan Communist Party firmly opposes to LDP’s security policies. It denies reinforcement of “Japan-U.S. military alliance,” upholds abolishment of security legislations in 2015 with redefinition of Article 9 of the Constitution of Japan, and argues immediate stop of building new base of U.S. Force in Henoko, Okinawa, as well as fundamental revision of Japan-U.S. SOFA. The CDP also approves stopping the construction in Henoko, and seeks renegotiation with the U.S.

 

JCP proposes establishment of dialogue and cooperative framework with ASEAN in East Asian region. Komeito, calling itself the Party of Peace, also hopes to promote multi-lateral security dialogue in Asia, under the leadership of Japan.

 

There is no big difference among the parties on criticisms against Russian aggression in Ukraine and prompting early cease fire in Middle East. The LDP does not include clear policy on those issues, supposedly because Japan has some difference with the U.S. on those issues. Although other parties do not describe details about China, the LDP referred to the advance of China, saying that their attempt to changing status quo is apparent.

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