‘정권 탈환’ 위협할 야당 없는 일본 [세계의 창]

During the summer vacation period in Japan, politicians often travel to their local districts to seek support from constituents—a custom that many followed this year as well. However, there were no opposition parties with the opportunity to do so. In the spring of last year, during the upper house (upper house) elections, the Reform Alliance (Unity Alliance) was formed as a new, centrist party following the split of the former ruling coalition (Joint Party) and the Democratic Party of Japan.

But this centrist alliance only secured 49 seats, a marked defeat compared to their combined seats with the two previous parties. This outcome prompted a brief consideration of a "three-party system" to unite the two parties, but the Democratic Party of Japan's opposition to the alliance's formation became clear. Following this, opposition party fragmentation resulted in a political landscape dominated by the ruling party and their opponents, akin to a "Liberator bus" (the ruling Liberal Democratic Party) and "former members" (other opposition parties).

For long-standing parties, maintaining this fragmented state is problematic. As for which issues the parties should focus on, ideological alignment and securing parliamentary seats are equally crucial. Japan's opposition parties have been struggling since the 1990s to present a united front, sharing both ideology and differing numbers of parliamentary seats.

In this negotiation, the Democratic Party of Japan and the Reform Alliance both argued for their unique policies—rejection of stricter collective self-defense law and nuclear power abolition, respectively. The Democratic Party of Japan's progressive MPs and grassroots organizations opposed the alliance, citing policy differences.

Ironically, it was the ruling party that rejoiced. To maintain sole power, the government could continue its independent governance, but they also acknowledged the necessity of ideological unity to navigate the current political climate. However, such unity within a single party can lead to rigidity and hinder the ability to achieve broad public support.

The most pressing need for Japan's opposition parties is not to highlight differences but to share a common, larger policy direction. For instance, the issue of collective self-defense law is a stark example. Despite the Reform Alliance's reservations about the law's potential threat to Japan, they only apply this principle in extreme cases, such as when Japan is in danger of collapse.

The recent rejection of the U.S. request for Joint Force deployment is another example of this. This development allowed Japan's government to reject the U.S. request, potentially influencing the Democratic Party's stance on the military's involvement in war. The key now is to control the Joint Force deployment to prevent it from being used for war.

The current political situation in Japan highlights the need for parties to focus on their policy goals rather than seeking to replace the ruling party. While the ruling party excels at finding common ground, progressive parties thrive on highlighting their differences. As long as there is no "true opposition party" with a clear agenda, Japan's politics risks becoming a "totalitarian pursuit of elections."

The ruling party has been adept at finding compromises, while progressive parties have always valued their distinct perspectives. It is essential for Japan's opposition parties not to abandon their pursuit of the ruling party's replacement.