Japan Finally Has a Two-Party Democracy

[Frodo]

Premier’s Party Suffers Big Defeat in Japan

By NORIMITSU ONISHI
Published: July 29, 2007

TOKYO, July 29 — Japan’s governing Liberal Democratic Party suffered a crushing defeat in elections on Sunday for the upper house of Parliament, but Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed that he would not step down.

The main opposition Democratic Party seized control of the upper house by a landslide, capturing seats not only in cities but also in rural districts that have long been strongholds of the Liberal Democratic Party. The rout was widespread, with household names in the governing party falling one after another before opposition newcomers.

In a devastating rebuke to Mr. Abe, angry voters punished him for his mishandling of bread-and-butter issues and for a series of scandals in a government seemingly in disarray. Past prime ministers have resigned in the face of similar losses, but Mr. Abe, even before all the votes were counted, tried to head off inevitable questions about his leadership.

[Person Man]

Basically, Abe was and is the Japanese Bush

[Verily]

Basically, Abe was and is the Japanese Bush

Except the LDP is more like Fianna Fail or the Swedish Social Democrats than the Republican Party.

FWIW, an eight-party opposition coalition actually held power in Japan from 1993 to 1996; the LDP's dominance has been constantly eroding for the past couple of decades.

[Person Man]

Yeah, but the LDP is pretty far up Bush's ass. From wanting to sell the government to rebuild the military and supporting the war.

[Silent Hunter]

Basically, Abe was and is the Japanese Bush

Then what did that make Koizumi?

[Tetro Kornbluth]

Basically, Abe was and is the Japanese Bush

Except the LDP is more like Fianna Fail or the Swedish Social Democrats than the Republican Party.

FWIW, an eight-party opposition coalition actually held power in Japan from 1993 to 1996; the LDP's dominance has been constantly eroding for the past couple of decades.

Only for part of that period was their eight-party coalition, that collapsed sometime in 1994 and the LDP were invited into the coalition; though they allowed the Socialists (largest of the eight 'other' parties) to maintain the Prime Ministership until the next election.

Basically, Abe was and is the Japanese Bush

Then what did that make Koizumi?

Japanese Sarkozy?

[Bono]

Yeah, but the LDP is pretty far up Bush's ass. From wanting to sell the government to rebuild the military and supporting the war.

Urgh, you really are a hack. For your information, the DPJ wanted an even more far-reaching privatization of the post.

[Verily]

Yeah, but the LDP is pretty far up Bush's ass. From wanting to sell the government to rebuild the military and supporting the war.

Urgh, you really are a hack. For your information, the DPJ wanted an even more far-reaching privatization of the post.

But, good for Japan, they didn't want to reestablish the military.

As an American, I'd rather we got rid of our military bases in Japan and forced the Japanese to establish their own military, but, thinking as a Japanese voter, I'd rather Japan had no military.

[Colin]

I wouldn't say that Japan has a two-party democracy. You can say that when the DPJ finishes a full term in power.

[DanielX]

But, good for Japan, they didn't want to reestablish the military.

As an American, I'd rather we got rid of our military bases in Japan and forced the Japanese to establish their own military, but, thinking as a Japanese voter, I'd rather Japan had no military.

I wouldn't. Even if I were Japanese. I might not want a lot of troops abroad, or an active foreign policy, but I would want a significant amount of military force in or near the Home Islands. Especially if the US ever decides to cull its foreign bases and retreat into isolationism (a major depression or Yellowstone-eruption type natural disaster might do just that).

Why? Guess who's in the neighborhood. That's right, Krazy Kim Jong-Il in North Korea. Also, China and Russia have sizable militaries, and have not traditionally had good relations with Japan. Especially China, whose might is growing and might just decide to take revenge.

That said (both as me and as a hypothetical Japanese self), I don't think Japan needs a very  large army (Japan consists of islands and should not be planning on invading mainlands any time soon). For the purposes of deterring the aggression of their neighbors, a short-to-medium range navy and airforce, perhaps a small nuclear arsenal (akin to Israel's), would suffice.

[jokerman]

Japan is indeed spending quite a bit on their military these days.  Probably a smart thing.

[Colin]

Yeah, but the LDP is pretty far up Bush's ass. From wanting to sell the government to rebuild the military and supporting the war.

Urgh, you really are a hack. For your information, the DPJ wanted an even more far-reaching privatization of the post.

But, good for Japan, they didn't want to reestablish the military.

As an American, I'd rather we got rid of our military bases in Japan and forced the Japanese to establish their own military, but, thinking as a Japanese voter, I'd rather Japan had no military.

Japan has a military, a very good one in fact, the Self-Defence Force.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Self-Defence_Force

IMHO the Japanese Martime Self-Defence Force is probably the second or third best blue water navy in the world after the United States even though it doesn't possess a ship larger than a destroyer and their air force is quite a capable force consisting of F-16s (Mitsubishi F-2s to be precise), Mitsubishi F-1s and soon to arrive F-15s. While Japan can't use its military in an offensive role it does have a capable military with around 230,000 active duty members.