The Great East Japan Earthquake may serve as a catalyst for a drastic change in Japan's political and administrative systems.
The Great East Japan Earthquake may serve as a catalyst for a drastic change in Japan's political and administrative systems.
Although the administration changed hands, politics has kept flagging. Opposition parties took advantage of the "twisted Diet" in which the two houses are controlled by ruling and opposition parties, respectively, to persistently attack the ruling coalition. Meanwhile, all ruling parties did was to reveal their immaturity.
Setting aside the propriety of the matter, in the past it was not uncommon for politics to surrender to "gaiatsu," or external pressure. This time, however, whether it be the Senkaku Islands problem or the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa Prefecture, politics does not seriously respond to external pressure.
It was at this juncture in stagnant politics that the nation was torn by this latest natural disaster.
What crossed my mind on March 11, the day the earthquake struck, was that the administration of Naoto Kan would continue. A political cease-fire is a matter of course. Under existing circumstances, it is impermissible for the opposition to drag down the ruling coalition. It is clear that the main budget, budget-related bills and a supplementary budget would be passed as a set. But politics must go beyond that point.
The earthquake and catastrophic tsunami that it triggered is unprecedented even by international standards. Rivers broke their banks, houses were washed away and mountainsides eroded. The tsunami-stricken area is a fishing center. As consumers, we have received blessings from the stricken area in the form of seafood and processed marine products. The destruction of this fishing center will have a serious impact on the structure of Japanese industries.
The unfolding drama at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in Fukushima Prefecture will trigger serious debate on the future course of energy policy.
The focus of the debate must be how to rebuild Japan from scratch. It goes beyond restoration. That is what politics must embark on.
The Kan administration's initial response was good. In the past, when the Liberal Democratic Party was in power, even when Japan faced a natural disaster, it was slow to react because it gave first consideration to the interests and speculation of in-party factions and individual politicians.
Up to now, the Democratic Party of Japan has been acting with a single voice and dealing with the situation in earnest. While it was ridiculed for its inability to engage in backdoor maneuvering, as far as disaster measures are concerned, its openness had led to a sense of security.
Bureaucrats who are good at crisis management are also expected to demonstrate their competence. Although the DPJ and the bureaucracy were at odds with each other over political leadership, this is a good opportunity for bureaucrats to show their mettle.
The Finance Ministry must seriously study how to come up with funds to implement disaster measures. Lackadaisical wisdom is useless. The system of budget allocation must be drastically changed.
The Bank of Japan also said it would put its all to provide enough funds to the market. As financial experts, I wonder how they view the current situation.
The LDP is also facing a crucial test. The LDP never experienced a disaster of such magnitude when it was in power, either. If it sits back and does nothing but criticize the DPJ for not doing enough in the nation's darkest hour, it will face public criticism. What kind of country should Japan be?
The LDP needs to address this issue from the perspective of an opposition party. The LDP as well as the DPJ is being put to the test.
What we must not forget is DPJ kingpin Ichiro Ozawa. Iwate Prefecture, which suffered serious damage from the earthquake, is his constituency. The DPJ cannot put disaster measures in place without consulting Ozawa. How will Ozawa behave? As always, whenever he embarks on a new undertaking, Ozawa is expected to force his logic. How will it overlap with Japan's new nation-building?
To come to think of it, flood control to manage rivers and planting trees on mountains have formed the basis of politics since days long past.
Perhaps that is where politics will return after all.
(This article was compiled from an interview by Takafumi Yoshida.)
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Takashi Mikuriya is a political scientist. His published works include "Seiji no Owari, Seiji no Hajimari" (The beginning of politics, the end of politics) and "Tenno to Seiji" (Emperor and politics).