Japan 2012

[Famous Mortimer]

Actually, those two Green Breeze representatives both subsequently switched to the Tomorrow Party and run unsuccessfully for re-election under that banner.

The Green Breeze Party has gotten a new representative though. Shizuka Kamei, former LDP leadership candidate and People's New Party leader, who had just been elected for the Tomorrow Party.

[jaichind]

The new DPJ leader Banri Kaieda was Ozawa's proxy back in 2011 and was defeated by Noda and is close to Ozawa as pointed out above.  His name, Branri or 万里 or 10,000 li (Chinese version of kilometer which really is about 1/4 of a kilometer) is named after the Great Wall of China, which in Chinese is called Long Wall of 10,000 Li.

If Future party does fold into the DPJ then at least this is part of the consolidation of the center-left which is needed for DPJ to survive.  What is also key is revival of an alliance with SDP.  This way a viable alternative can be formed once the JRP starts falling apart which I suspect it will.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

If Future party does fold into the DPJ then at least this is part of the consolidation of the center-left which is needed for DPJ to survive.  What is also key is revival of an alliance with SDP.  This way a viable alternative can be formed once the JRP starts falling apart which I suspect it will.

It's depressing to think that the DPJ will continue to be the main party of the Japanese center-left, such as it is, but I suppose this is better than most possible alternatives.

I suppose Kaieda will let Ozawa return to the DPJ not much the worse for wear if Ozawa wants to. It's a shame. Ozawa's new 'Life Party' outfit is his fourth party in six months, and eighth in his political career. He jacked Governor Kada for all the political capital she could conceivably have had (or acquired) in what I think was a really reprehensible and abject manner.

[Zuza]

JRP starts falling apart which I suspect it will.

By the way, it seems that JRP already began to fade (recent polls: http://shisaku.blogspot.ru/2012/12/the-second-coming-of-abe-cabinet-first.html).

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

I like that blog's nicknames for the parties (from the post with final seat totals) very much:


Oops! I Did It Again 294
New Sentinel 31

Deservedly Chastized 57
You're Scaring Me 54
Politics Is So Icky 18
No Future 9
Cash Burn 8
Left Behind 2
Post Office Players 1
Great White North 1
Anonymous #1 0
Anonymous #2 0

Independents 5

[Zuza]

I like that blog's nicknames for the parties (from the post with final seat totals) very much:


Oops! I Did It Again 294
New Sentinel 31

Deservedly Chastized 57
You're Scaring Me 54
Politics Is So Icky 18
No Future 9
Cash Burn 8
Left Behind 2
Post Office Players 1
Great White North 1
Anonymous #1 0
Anonymous #2 0

Independents 5

I like this too, but I can't understand why did New Komeito, YP and JCP get their nicknames. Could you explain?

[jaichind]

I know JCP is cash burn because they put candidates in every district and never gets the 15% (I think that is the threshold) of the vote to get their deposit back.  So this means JCP loses significant amounts of cash that it gets from its loyal party members by their line of nominating candidates in all districts regardless of winnablity.

I like that blog's nicknames for the parties (from the post with final seat totals) very much:


Oops! I Did It Again 294
New Sentinel 31

Deservedly Chastized 57
You're Scaring Me 54
Politics Is So Icky 18
No Future 9
Cash Burn 8
Left Behind 2
Post Office Players 1
Great White North 1
Anonymous #1 0
Anonymous #2 0

Independents 5

I like this too, but I can't understand why did New Komeito, YP and JCP get their nicknames. Could you explain?

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

I like that blog's nicknames for the parties (from the post with final seat totals) very much:


Oops! I Did It Again 294
New Sentinel 31

Deservedly Chastized 57
You're Scaring Me 54
Politics Is So Icky 18
No Future 9
Cash Burn 8
Left Behind 2
Post Office Players 1
Great White North 1
Anonymous #1 0
Anonymous #2 0

Independents 5

I like this too, but I can't understand why did New Komeito, YP and JCP get their nicknames. Could you explain?

At a guess, YP is 'Politics Is So Icky' because of their (real or alleged) pretensions to being in some sense 'above it all', and general perceived [over?]idealism. No idea about Komeito.

[jaichind]

As for NKP being called New Sentinel, most likely it has to do with links of NKP and Sōka Gakkai and the fact that many consider Sōka Gakkai a cult.  Perhaps it has something to do with Jehovah's Witnesses which is also considered a cult by many and that it is called the Watchtower Society which is simialr to Sentinel.  
 

[Darth Maul]

Im glad Abe won its scary how many votes Ishihara got.