daigo.org RSSThoughts on Japanese election
So, Koizumi and LDP, as expected, overwhelmingly won the snap election. Taking 296 of 480 lower house seats. Combined with 31 seats that Coalition partner New Komeito won, now the majority party controls 68.1% of the lower house. It was smart for Koizumi to make this a “one-issue” election. The postal-reform election. I think Koizumi is doing fine job overall, but I just hope he will not mess with Japanese Constitution’s Article 9 and bring back “self-defense forces” troops from Iraq safely home soon. After visiting Nagasaki Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum, this July, I think it is a blessing that Japan has pacifist constitution (regardless of how Japan got it). I also recommend reading The Bells of Nagasaki by Takashi Nagai, (who is my new hero).
I was little bit disappointed for Democratic Party of Japan, which also plan to reform postal-saving system (but not as drastically - very frustrating - feels like they are being different on this issue for the sake of being different), to come up with more clear message to people on those other issues. And surprised that China’s anti-Japan protest in April was almost not an issue in this election. That wasn’t that long ago, did people already forget? Or Japanese people just really don’t care? Either way, when I was talking to my dad on Skype, he summed it up by saying “Koizumi is very popular here.” I do agree that postal reform needs to happen (and will most certainly happen now), but I am not so sure its such a good idea to have one issue election to give a party a power that could be used for other things… Hope there are enough good and smart people in there that won’t make bad dicisions…
