Comments on: Japanese politics: these are the hollow men http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2009/06/19/japanese-politics-these-are-the-hollow-men/ Economics, Politics and Public Policy in East Asia and the Pacific Sun, 12 Feb 2012 22:50:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 By: Aurelia George Mulganhttp://www.eastasiaforum.org/2009/06/19/japanese-politics-these-are-the-hollow-men/comment-page-1/#comment-35830 Aurelia George Mulgan Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:20:52 +0000 http://www.eastasiaforum.org/?p=5156#comment-35830 In response to Tobias' comment about the LDP having 'done remarkably little with their authority', it might be said that they have spent an exceedingly large amount of taxpayers' money over the past few months in perhaps the biggest spending spree on fiscal stimulus packages ever. Aso is the last of the big spenders and couldn't be further from the Koizumi end of the fiscal spectrum if he tried. The gap between them is completely unbridgeable, and it may add yet another trigger to a split, which might ensue if the LDP loses the next election. Koizumi might have led the economic reformers out of the party (which I thought he should have done years ago), but he won't be there. Tobias' notion of the LDP ending its long reign in 'cacophonous turmoil' could not be more apt. On the other hand, the only thing holding the DPJ together is the prospect of gaining office. Its foreign and security policy is a mess. Okada seems to be running one line; Maehara another; and Hatoyama yet another. As leader, Hatoyama is like blancmange, and his notion of 'fraternity' and 'fraternal diplomacy' is in keeping with his character. The latter reminds me of what used to be said about Japanese defence policy: if you make it vague enough, no one can attack it. In response to Tobias’ comment about the LDP having ‘done remarkably little with their authority’, it might be said that they have spent an exceedingly large amount of taxpayers’ money over the past few months in perhaps the biggest spending spree on fiscal stimulus packages ever. Aso is the last of the big spenders and couldn’t be further from the Koizumi end of the fiscal spectrum if he tried. The gap between them is completely unbridgeable, and it may add yet another trigger to a split, which might ensue if the LDP loses the next election. Koizumi might have led the economic reformers out of the party (which I thought he should have done years ago), but he won’t be there. Tobias’ notion of the LDP ending its long reign in ‘cacophonous turmoil’ could not be more apt.

On the other hand, the only thing holding the DPJ together is the prospect of gaining office. Its foreign and security policy is a mess. Okada seems to be running one line; Maehara another; and Hatoyama yet another. As leader, Hatoyama is like blancmange, and his notion of ‘fraternity’ and ‘fraternal diplomacy’ is in keeping with his character. The latter reminds me of what used to be said about Japanese defence policy: if you make it vague enough, no one can attack it.

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