[Editorial] Japanese People Must Keep Koizumi in Check

The results of Japan's lower house elections Sunday turned political common sense on its head. The long-established theory was that the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is at a disadvantage when there is high voter turnout, but a 7 point increase in voter turnout brought about the opposite, an overwhelming victory for prime minister Junichiro Koizumi's ruling party. The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) did establish a foothold in urban areas, but as a whole these general elections turned out to be a festive celebration for the LDP. When the upper house rejected Koizumi's postal service privatization plan and he took the gamble of dissolving the lower house there were few critics or media observers who predicted he would rise again, let alone win such an overwhelming victory. Koizumi-style "image politics" were successful in reading popular opinion that wanted to see changes in a stagnate political reality.

What is most noteworthy is how the New Komeito Party, the LDP's coalition partner, won more than two thirds of the parliamentary seats, enough to seek constitutional amendment. The coalition does not have enough votes in the upper house to try and revise the constitution so it would be hard to assume Japan will immediately begin to revise its constitution. However, even if regular legislation is rejected in the upper house the lower house can vote to approve it again and legislation becomes law if more than two thirds of the lower house votes in favor.

What people in Japan and abroad want the most to know is how Koizumi will use his absolute seniority over the Diet in the pursuit of his policies. The general election campaign had two categorical flaws. One was that policies other than Koizumi's postal service privatization plan were virtually unmentioned during the whole process, and the other would be the fact that Koizumi promised to step down when his term as LDP chairman ends in September of next year. Policies implemented unreasonably and without national consensus could heighten instability in Northeast Asia. The responsibility for keeping the Koizumi government in check lies with the Japanese people who gave it their support.

The Hankyoreh, 13 September 2005.

[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]