Japan's Opposition Socialists Face Tough Choices in Government Formation

Strategic Insights -

Japan's opposition socialists, the Social Democratic Party, are torn between forming a government with the present ruling coalition of Prime Minister Tsutomu Hata or with its former arch-enemy, the Liberal Democratic Party. The SDP has formed a loose pact with the Sakigake party, but seems to be keeping its options open. Party leader Tomiichi Murayama and Hata are scheduled to discuss forming a new government, but no potential candidate for prime minister has emerged. The SDP faces hard choices due to deep divisions within its ranks, while the longer the government formation is delayed, the more public distrust of politicians will grow.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Social Democratic Party (SDP) is torn between forming a government with the present ruling coalition of Prime Minister Tsutomu Hata and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
  • The SDP has formed a loose pact with the Sakigake party, but seems to be keeping its options open.
  • No potential candidate for prime minister has emerged, and SDP leader Tomiichi Murayama and Hata are scheduled to discuss forming a new government.
  • The SDP faces hard choices due to deep divisions within its ranks, with differing opinions within the party on whether to form an alliance with the LDP or the present ruling coalition.
  • The longer the government formation is delayed, the more public distrust of politicians will grow, with the mass circulation newspaper Asahi Shimbun warning that politicians must stop their "capricious power games" to regain popular trust.
  • The demise of the Cold War has seen an erosion of support for the two traditionally largest political parties in Japan, the LDP and the SDP.
  • A government package of proposed deregulatory measures aimed at expanding Japan's imports and trimming its global trade surplus has received scant attention due to the government's state of inertia.
  • The present term of the Diet, Japan's parliament, is set to end on Wednesday, and if a prime minister and Cabinet have not been chosen by then, the session will extend and prolong political uncertainty.
  • The SDP had been the largest single party in a seven-party coalition under the Hosokawa administration, but quit the government after the other parties formed a larger voting bloc.
  • A left-wing group within the LDP, led by Murayama, favors a tie-up with the LDP, but another faction, the Democrats, favors rejoining the coalition.

Statistics:

  • 59 days: The length of Prime Minister Hata's minority government, which was the second shortest term by a Japanese government since World War II.
  • 263 days: The length of Morihiro Hosokawa's term as prime minister before his resignation in April.
  • 1982: The year a scandal emerged over some questionable financial dealings by Morihiro Hosokawa.
  • 7: The number of parties in the coalition under the Hosokawa administration.
  • 2: The number of traditionally largest political parties in Japan that have seen an erosion of support due to the demise of the Cold War: the LDP and the SDP.

Sources:

  • Asahi Shimbun, June 28: Quoting Prime Minister Hata, 'The present state of affairs will undoubtedly worsen the public's distrust in politics... Sad to say the people have become more removed from politics.'
  • International Christian University's Roger Buckley: 'The SDP is a deeply divided party... So whichever way it moves it faces tough decisions.'