Japanese politics & policy changes
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For decades, older men have pulled the strings in Japanese politics. But as the ruling party prepares a tough competition to inform who will be the next Prime Minister, the junior legislators are committing a minor revolt to call for the fastest ruling on the age of the world.
The program of leadership competition because the Liberal Democratic Party has brightened a new generation of councilors who are interested in getting rid of the image of party leaders who have used power for many years.
It’s unexpected four ways In a bid to find a successor to Yoshihide Suga, the Prime Minister who announced his resignation this month, young LDP members suddenly emerged as the most important factor in voting this week.
Opposition groups called for a boycott of the by-elections in November. But some analysts say participating in these threats would help change leadership leadership in the long run, speeding up the demise of factions and back chambers that have shaped Japanese politics.
“We felt we were in big trouble. We need to rethink how the LDP works, ”Jun Tsushima, a member of the LDP’s third house committee, told the Financial Times.
At age 54, Tsushima can only be considered younger according to Japanese standards. In addition, the average four-year-olds in senior positions in the LDP are 72. Tsushima is one of the members of a group of 90 young LDP members who want to change parties and not to vote fraudulently.
“Younger members participate in party negotiations but are not visible from the outside,” he added.
Among their priorities is the right to vote individually on a leadership contest, which would allow them to elect candidates who could not be supported by their parties.
Such ideas are a myth to many LDP members, who use their power to help one person in exchange for promises and ministry responsibilities.
Laws of less than 40 years are only 8% of Japan’s land laws compared to 22% in the UK, according to research and the Inter-Parliamentary Union. But so-called young people – three or more elected councilors – now have half of the lower LDP members.
In an effort to win their votes, many of the participants in the ceremony pledged to elect young members to senior positions and prepare for the 73-year retirement of the LDP.
With the election coming at a time of declining LDP support, young councilors rushed to support Taro Kono, a 58-year-old prime minister of a major party.
Recent research suggests that even Kono may fail to win a majority in the first round of voting on September 29, which could lead to a second phase when support from major LDP groups could be difficult.
Many LDP groups have been vigilant in supporting Kono, a faction led by Taro Aso, finance minister, for their independence from the law and the promises of national change.
The power of the parties has waned since the mid-2000s when power was consolidated under the office of the Prime Minister, especially under the leadership of Junichiro Koizumi and Shinzo Abe. The electoral revolution in the mid-1990s also meant that fewer parties played a smaller role in the competitive economy.
Most MPs join the party because they have the power to share the positions of ministers and other parties.
“I think [the junior MPs] it has been severely damaged, “said Minoru Kiuchi, a 56-year-old MP for a small house that is not part of the LDP.
“It does not make sense to question the right to self-determination while enjoying the company. If they want to do things their own way, they have to leave the organization. ”
The influx of two women has made leadership very different in LDP history. But taking part – with the help of powerful figures such as Abe and general secretary Toshihiro Nikai – is seen by many within the party as a way to divide the vote so that Kono does not win a majority in the first round.
“These are the most powerful groups,” said Mizuho Onuma, an associate professor at the University of Taisho and a former MP.
“If Kono wins the majority in the first term and becomes prime minister, I think that would be a victory for the young councilors and a testament to the fact that humanitarian action has disrupted politics.”