Innenpolitik Japans 2013/14

Japan’s Domestic Politics 2013/14

Backed by a solid majority in both Houses of Parliament, Prime Minister Shinzō Abe in 2013/14 set forth to tackle two of the most pressing problems: Fighting persistent deflationary tendencies, while at the same time avoiding fiscal and financial risks. »Abenomics« have produced some encouraging results, warning signs however still remain, as shown e. g. by the sharp drop in private consumption following the tax increase of April 2014. In the governing coalition some indicators of a gradually widening rift became visible: Only reluctantly New Kōmeitō accepted some compromise solutions in government politics, e. g. with regard to tax increases, reactivating nuclear energy and reinterpretation of the constitution. Bowing to Abe’s pressure, the junior partner took the risk to alienate itself from its »mother organization«, i. e. the Sōka Gakkai. During all of 2013/14 Prime Minister Abe has shown a markedly sharp rightwing turn in his political principles: Opting for an active Japanese participation in collective self-defense by reinterpreting the constitution through cabinet decision, rather than parliamentary vote; allowing Shinto religion to increasingly influence political decision making and rewriting history can all be regarded as sure signs indicating such a turn. This new Japanese nationalism has antagonized Japan’s neighbors, raising tensions over territorial disputes and bearing the latent risk of estrangement with Washington.
Opposition parties on the other hand continued dismembering themselves: While the Democratic Party of Japan is sliding into nonexistence, all attempts at forming a united opposition party out of several tiny political groups have miserably failed. All hopes that rested upon Ōsaka’s Hashimoto to build a feasible alternative to the LDP-dominated ruling system vanished, after the Ōsaka hopeful came out with some irresponsible remarks concerning the Pacific War, showing him to be an ultra-conservative in disguise.
Opposition against Abe’s politics became manifest however, when in some regional (gubernatorial) elections of 2013/14 hardcore opponents won; so the regular combined communal und regional elections of 2015 will be a major challenge to Abe. He plans to fight the elections with a reshuffled cabinet and an LDP under new leadership aimed especially at the female electorate.