Criticisms on Early Election

214th session, an extraordinary session, of the Diet was convoked on October 1st, and it elected Shigeru Ishiba for 102ndPrime Minister of Japan. Ishiba announced in his press conference that he would dissolve the House of Representatives on October 9th, and that the general election of the House would be proclaimed on October 15th and voted on October 27th. The opposition parties are frustrated with the scheduling, since Ishiba had stated that he would reserve ample time for discussion in the Diet over his basic policies before the dissolution.

 

When Shinjiro Koizumi referred to an early election in the discussion of presidential campaign of the Liberal Democratic Party, Ishiba opposed to Koizumi’s idea, arguing that the election should be held after the prime minister and the lawmakers would offer the voters some criteria to decide whom they vote for. Ishiba’s schedule, dissolution on eight days after the election of the prime minister and general election 26 days after, will mark the shortest record in post-war era. His announcement received criticisms that he had changed the course.

 

In the press conference, Ishiba told that his decision had a cause. “It is reasonable for us to ask approval to the nationals on newly established cabinet and it fulfills requirement of the constitution,” said Ishiba. He insisted that he would make sincere discussions in the Diet over his policy speech.

 

The opposition parties, which had expected detailed debate over LDP’s slush fund scandal, accused Ishiba’s sudden announcement of early election. The Head of Constitutional Democratic Party, Yoshihiko Noda, suggested that Ishiba’s announcement of the dissolution and general election might violate the constitution. “Referring to dissolution as LDP president, before elected the prime minister, must be doubted as a violation of the constitution,” said Noda, quoting a provision of the constitution that stipulates dissolution as an Emperor’s act in matters of state.

 

On the other side, the opposition parties began to prepare for early election. The CDP hopes to extend its wing for electoral cooperation, other opposition parties are hesitant to promote discussion for that. Japan Innovation Party, or Nippon Ishin-no Kai, has been reluctant to make a deal with CDP because of difference in basic policies, and Japan Communist Party is unpleasant to Noda’s approach to the center-right powers in politics.

 

Ishiba was asked in the press conference how he would decide who would be endorsed as official candidates of LDP among a number of lawmakers involved in the kickback scandal. “I will hear from the lawmakers whether they had revealed how the funds had been used, or how they would make effort to prevent that false uses,” said Ishiba. However, it is skeptical that he can make enough investigation on the scandal before the general election. 

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