Sixty Years of Perfect Integration

Liberal Democratic Party cerebrated its sixtieth anniversary on Sunday. The President, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, defined history of the party as effort for reconstruction. “We established our party for a cause. The cause has been reconstruction of Japan,” said Abe in his speech, stressing achievement in economic growth and security measures. LDP has actually been swinging between those two themes. Now, Abe looks to be on the side of security amid slow decline in his economic policy.

When Abe looks back Japanese history, the focusing area is not broad. “Although public opinion was always divided in two, our predecessors did not stagger on a difficult road and advanced with perfect integration,” said Abe on security issue. He must be remembering sharp opposition over revising Japan-United States Security Treaty, in which his grandfather was targeted by critical people.

Public opinion was not always divided, anyway. Interpretation of Constitution of Japan has always been determined that exercising collective self-defense right was unconstitutional. It was unshaken attitude of Japan that it would not use force for solving international conflict. It was Abe who destroyed the stability of constitutional interpretation. His contemplation of history is looking at a preferable part of many aspects.

Abe showed his determination to abolish systems that were built in occupied Japan. “They decided to revise various systems established in the time of occupation,” told Abe about the time of beginning of LDP. He raised three examples for revision: constitution, education and executive branch. It is obvious that constitutional amendment is the biggest target for Abe.

LDP assumes a two-step process for constitutional amendment. The first is changing the provisions that is not difficult for the people. The themes include establishing environmental right, adding emergency clause to vest greater power on national government or restricting excessive financial debt for future generations.

After Japanese people are accustomed to constitutional amendment, LDP hopes to change core provisions. If LDP amendment is applied, Japanese Emperor will be the head of state, Self-defense Force will be National Defense Force,  and individual rights will be protected only when they do not oppose “public order.”

According to the poll by Asahi Shimbun, 57% of LDP members think that constitutional amendment is not an urgent issue. 43% of the members answered that Article 9 should not be changed, overtaking 37% of supporters for new Article 9. As long as Japan’s prosperity is based on peace, amendment of Article 9 is not an easy to achieve.

Innocent Terrorism?

Tokyo High Court judged a member of Aum Shinrikyo, a cult group committed consecutive terrorisms in 1990s, innocent on a case in which she was suspected to have transported explosive materials. The court denied her intention of helping the crime by the organization. In other words, the court evaluated her status as too low in the hierarchy of the organization to play an important role in the crimes. While terrorism by Aum had been recognized as organized crime by all members, the court distinguished the subordinates from the leaders.

Aum is well known as the conspirator of assault with poisonous sarin gas in subway stations in Tokyo in 1995. Before that chemical terrorism, the organization committed murder of a lawyer and his family who had been supporting the deserters from Aum in 1989. In the previous year of subway sarin incident, the organization tested power of the chemical gas in Matsumoto city, Nagano, causing deaths of eight people.

After a long runaway, Naoko Kikuchi was arrested in 2012. She was suspicious to have committed in murders. But, suspect on her involvement in subway sarin incident was laid as pending. While the police rearrested her on three cases of chemical terrorism called VX gas, punishment on her was also suspended. Then, she was arrested again with suspect of attempted murder in the case of explosion of mail package to Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office.

Tokyo Regional Court found Kikuchi to be guilty last year, because she must have known that the explosives would be used for hurting people. However, the higher court dismissed that decision with a notion that she may not have recognized that as terrorism. “Even if it had been dangerous material, it was hard for her to imagine that she was transporting a resource for terrorism,” told the judgment. It was a decision based on her status inside the organization, in which she had no other choice than obeying to orders from her leaders.

However, Kikuchi was definitely a member of the terrorist group that killed a number of innocent people. She had her own holy name, which indicated her devotion to the cultic dogma. Few months before the mailing package terrorism against Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office, she was suspected to have worked for a transporter in subway sarin incident. In terms of supporting operation of terrorism, she had no difference from members of Al Qaeda. Even how her role was trivial, it is not understandable for ordinary people to judge her innocent.

Iron Triangle Revives

Ministry for Internal Affairs and Communications released the balance of political funding of each party in the year of 2014. The amount of money that Liberal Democratic Party sucked up from industries and organizations exceeded ¥2.2 billion, regaining the level before it had handed administration over Democratic Party of Japan in 2009. It is easily supposed that a part of interest earned through the economic policy by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe returned to LDP. This is an old connection between party and industry, which has been criticized as collusion.

LDP received ¥1.4 billion of political donation from industries and organizations in 2013, which marked great increase by 42% from the previous year. That was an effusion of expectation to Abe administration getting started in the end of 2012. The amount swelled in 2014, mainly due to reopening of political donation by Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, which was consisted with big names in Japanese business scene. Chairman Sadayuki Sakakibara asked 1,300 of its member companies to restart the donation in September 2014.

It is not unusual for LDP leaders to visit headquarters of major companies to ask donation with request of actual amount. According to a report of Asahi Shimbun, Japan Federation of Construction Contractors received two letters every February, one of which was the list of policy achievement with the name of LDP President Abe. Another was request of donation from National Political Association, a political action committee of LDP, with actual amount of money. It should be a hard decision for a major business entity to dismiss that request.

Abenomics has been dubbed as an economic policy package for Japanese major corporations, leaving midsize and small businesses behind. Based on their donation, Keidanren raises voice requiring lower corporation tax rate. LDP is stabilizing its financial basis with donation from business community. With close relationship between LDP and bureaucrats, the iron triangle of politics, bureaucracy and business is reviving.

With decline of DPJ, clean politics sounds obsolete. While total income of LDP was ¥23.9 billion last year, DPJ reduced to ¥7.7 billion with their policy not to receive donation from corporation or business organization. Japan Communist Party manages its finance with sales of newspaper, not depending on donation or subsidy from national budget. Politics independent from money is still hard to achieve.

Urgent Measures for Abenomics

An experts’ committee for Shinzo Abe administration called National Convention decided “urgent measures” to promote new three arrows for Abenomics on Thursday. New policy goals included raising minimum wage by annual 3% or hourly wage to ¥1,000 in national average. However, those policy remained to be general distribution of wealth, which had been said to be ineffective for economic growth, as seen in ¥30 thousand benefit for every person. The measures are interpreted as tools to raise popularity of Abe administration for coming national election next summer.

The new three arrows include raising gross domestic products to ¥600 trillion, hopeful birth rate of 1.8 for each couple, and no job loss caused by taking care of the elderly. In the urgent measures, the ¥30 thousand benefit was to encourage low-income families for active consumption. To support higher birth rate, the goal of increasing nurseries in the end of FY 2017 thought to be raised from current 400 thousands to 500 thousands. To decrease 100 thousands of workers leaving job to take care of their old father or mother, nursery facilities or home-visiting service was expected to be increased from current 380 thousands to 500 thousands.

Abe looked serious in implementing his political promise to achieve ¥600 trillion of GDP. “This is a proposal for new socio-economic system to produce positive circulation of growth and distribution,” told Abe in the meeting of National Convention. The policies would be reflected in supplemental budget of FY 2015 or yearly budget of 2016. The administration is going to deliver mid- or long-term plan for post 2020 next spring.

This kind of body for discussion to implement policies is usually controlled by policy experts in Japanese bureaucracy. That was because those new policies did not go beyond the bureaucratic concept of distributing national wealth. Bureaucrats hate abolishing former policies they had made and try hard to maintain old plan. Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare once set a goal of nursery service for the elderly on 340 thousands by increasing nurseries with special care or overnight stay for nursery staffs. Then, the ministry included 24-hour visiting nursery to raise the goal to 380 thousands. Now they added houses with welfare service for the elderly to nursery facility. To achieve new goal, they are simply manipulating the definition of nursery service.

That is why it is unclear whether those policies really work. One thing clear is Abe has been devoted to achieve two-third majority in the election of House of Councillors next summer. It is likely that the leaders of Abe administration required the ministries to squeeze popular policies to appeal the effort for people’s life. But, the bureaucratic method is apparently obsolete.

Still in State of Unconstitutional

The judicial branch questioned the status of lawmakers again. The Supreme Court sentenced on Wednesday that the election of House of Representatives in last December had been done in a state of unconstitutional, not going to the extent of making it void. The court determined that the disparity in value of each vote was at the level of intolerable. While the legislative branch was urged for immediate adjustment of election system, parties are still lagging behind in fundamental reform.

In the election last December, the number of voters in 4th District of Chiba was 2.30 times greater than that in 3rd District of Kochi. The Supreme Court estimated that the distribution of constituency had been unacceptable to guarantee equal value of one vote.

The Court decided in 2011 that the value gap between votes needed to be contained within two times at least and the system of proportional constituency after distributing one seat to each prefecture in the election of the House of Representatives should be abolished. In the last election, number of voters was greater over two times than in 3rd District of Kochi in 13 districts. The Court concluded that negative aspect of prior distribution of one vote to each prefecture had not actually been removed.

Two judges out of the fourteen added their opinion that last election had to be nullified. “Distortion in election system is critical. Ignorance of judicial power for constitutional review by the Diet is significant,” told Judge Masaharu Ohashi, requiring nullification when 6 months passed from the sentence of the Supreme Court. “We cannot keep on sentencing without nullification, if elections would be repeated with this situation,” told Judge Michiyoshi Kiuchi, warning the lawmakers. Meanwhile, one Judge decided that the election was constitutional, positively assessing the effort for reforming election system.

In the responsibility cabinet system in Japan, unconstitutionality of election directly leads to legitimacy of Cabinet and Prime Minister. Liberal Democratic Party led by Shinzo Abe achieved sweeping victory in the election last December. The Supreme Court literally denied the legal basis of Abe administration. There is an opinion among lawyers that all policies delivered from unconstitutional administration should be void.

A committee by legal experts launched by the House of Representatives has been discussing appropriate election system and going to submit their conclusion early next year. However, it is unclear whether all party will abide by the recommendation of the committee. While LDP considers partial reform of the election system, Japan Communist Party demands abolition of single-seat constituency system. The Diet does not seem to have enough power to regulate the difference of opinion.

Trivial Discussion over Tax Relief

Two leading parties, Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito, confronted each other over consumption tax relief. Representing the interest of Ministry of Finance, LDP insisted on saving the income of national budget as much as possible. Komeito demanded consumption tax rate of daily foods to be as broad as possible, in order to maintain political support from low-income families. Discussion over consumption tax hike in 2017 is getting too trivial to address financial crisis brought by huge amount of national debt, mainly accumulated by economic policy of past LDP administrations.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ordered the leaders of LDP to discuss consumption tax relief from a viewpoint of “achieving stable resource within the framework of integrated reform of social security and tax.” LDP Secretary General, Sadakazu Tanigaki, interpreted Abe’s words as containing the amount of fiscal resource for tax relief within ¥400 billion, which would be secured by the integrated reform. In Tanigaki’s concept, the tax relief will be limited to fresh vegetable, fish and meat, including cut vegetable, sashimi or minced meat.

Komeito strongly opposed Tanigaki, requiring broader support for the life of low-income families. Adding to fresh foods, Komeito demanded fax relief on processed foods including milk, noodles, juice or cake. Komeito interpreted Abe’s order not limiting the resource with actual amount of money. “It should be determined with comprehensive view over national budget,” told President of Komeito, Natsuo Yamaguchi, fundamentally opposing Abe’s policy of limiting resource for tax relief. Yamaguchi requested to include the food in restaurants and drinks without alcohol.

In spite of having membership of LDP, Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, supported the appeal from Komeito. “I did not understand the order of Prime Minister as limited within the integrated reform. I don’t think he offered a concrete idea,” told Suga in his press conference. Hoping firm support from Komeito in the election of House of Councillors next summer, Suga stood by Komeito, rather than uncontrollable MOF.

The discussion has been about whether the national budget can spend ¥400 billion or not. Meanwhile, the total amount of national debt of Japan is ¥1 quadrillion. While consumption tax rate had to be reducing that huge amount of debt, Japanese politics is focusing on scooping votes from low-income people or securing cooperation from friend party in the election. They have to discuss how to reduce governmental spending, sustainable economic growth not dependent on unusually ambitious economic policies or trickling down the profit accumulated in the budget of major corporations.

Destruction of Evidence

New security legislation laid by Shinzo Abe administration in September was apparent violation of Constitution of Japan, because Cabinet Legislation Bureau had been interpreting the Constitution that exercising collective self-defense right could not be tolerated. Weakening legal stability, the bureau changed its attitude and endorsed new security legislation as constitutional. Everyone had a question on what the reason was and how they discussed it. The bureau left no record about their discussion. If it were the matter of crime, the bureaucrats are guilty for destruction of evidence.

Asahi Shimbun requested CLB to disclose the record related to the decision of new security legislation made in July last year. Although the request was submitted based on Information Disclosure Law, CLB presented only three documents. They were a document about Abe’s consultative committee for the legislation, record about meeting between leading Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito and approval of CLB to answer a question from National Security Bureau that CLB had no opinion about the cabinet decision on exercising collective self-defense. No other documents were disclosed.

The Chief of CLB, Yusuke Yokobatake, admitted that the bureau had a number of discussions over the issue. “In the process of discussion on this issue, we had a various discussion in our bureau,” told Yokobatake in a committee of House of Councillors this June. CLB could not say that they had not discussed the issue. It is likely that they were hiding the truth or simply making a lie.

According to a former officer of the bureau, they sometimes do not leave a record on the issues related to interpretation of constitution. Public Records Management Act demands bureaucrats to leave official record to verify decisions of the executive branch or achievement of policies, except trivial issues. It is obvious that reinterpreting the Constitution is not categorized as a “trivial issue.” CLB has to be suspected as violating the law.

Another possibility is that the constitutional reinterpretation has overwhelmingly been made by Yokobatake alone. Yokobatake was one of the members of undisclosed community for discussing the issue, which members included the leaders of leading parties and bureaucrats on the issue of constitutional interpretation or national security. Discussion over the reinterpretation might mainly be made in that small meeting out of ordinary legal structure in the Cabinet. It is well known that Japanese bureaucrats do anything wrong without public watch.

Accommodation in Short

Fundamentally different from Europe, Asian people have been going to Japan. They are not refugees, but travelers. With unprecedented popularity of travel to Japan, one serious problem is scarcity of accommodation facilities. Hotels in Japan have mostly been filled with foreign travelers and room price is showing rocket high. Some people started hotel business, taking advantage of empty rooms in urban area. Government of Japan reluctantly embarked on deregulation on hotel business.

Encouraged by increase of income brought by rapid economic growth in Asia, the number of travelers to Japan has been getting greater these years. They prefer to see old temples in Kyoto, visit cutting edge technology in carmakers around Nagoya and enjoy shopping along the streets in Ginza, Tokyo. It is impossible for a small island country to accept growing number of travelers from populous Asian countries like China, South Korea or Thailand.

Supposedly to appeal Japan’s effort for deregulation, which had been seen by the world as a key to success of Abenomics, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ordered the Ministries to consider establishing exceptional area free from ordinary regulation to accept foreign travelers. Hotel Business Law requires hotels to obtain license and prohibit private business of accommodation. Abe administration is going to make guideline to ease those regulations by next June.

Ota District in Tokyo is the top runner of the deregulation. For Tokyo Olympic 2020, Ota government passed a local law to accept foreign travelers in private houses or rooms in apartment houses. The national government will support Ota with deregulation on facilities for a staying of seven nights or more in private houses. New standard in Ota District will be applied at the beginning of next year.

Western Japan is more interested in business opportunity. Following Ota, Osaka Prefecture decided to introduce the same system. However, the most popular city for travelers, Kyoto, is not enthusiastic for the deregulation. To maintain amenity of travelers, Governor of Kyoto, Keiji Yamada, announced that he would carefully consider safety of travelers and maintenance of environment.

There are cases that foreign travelers staying in private houses caused trouble with neighborhood. Internet brokers for booking rooms in private houses are not regulated by Japanese law. One thing clear is even with those private business, rooms in Japan will be in short at the time of Olympic 2020. Fundamental measures are immediately needed.

Struggle Continues

If Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation is not the place to talk about politics, it should be Association of Southeast Asian Nations to do that instead. In the meetings of ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the leaders of major countries tried hard to achieve positive sign from Southeast Asian nations. But, the summit diplomacy resulted in the exchange of criticisms. It should be a litmus test for ASEAN whether it can play active role in dealing with the interest of major powers.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed serious concern on the issue in South China Sea. “I seriously concern the fact that unilateral action of raising tension by changing status quo through major and rapid landfill still exists,” told Abe in the summit meeting of ASEAN+3 on Saturday. It was obvious for the parties that Abe indicated strong opposition against landfill by China in South China Sea. According to the staff of Abe, three leaders supported Abe’s opinion, requiring peaceful and lawful solution.

China is closely watching how Japan deals with the territorial issue in South China Sea. Following criticism against United States being involved in the interest in the region, China was focusing on Abe’s reference on a possibility to support military operation of U.S. around Spratly Islands in South China Sea. “Japan made aggression and occupied South China Sea in World War II. It needs to remember and regret history,” told a spokesman of Chinese government.

Balance inside Southeast Asian nations is changing. Having been neutral on the territorial dispute in South China Sea, Indonesia is getting frustrated with the advance of China to the southern part of the sea. China unilaterally drew the nine-dash line to assert its territorial interest in South China Sea. Economic exclusive zone of Natuna Islands, Indonesia, overlaps the area surrounded by the line. Indonesia changed its policy and sent seven vessels to the islands this month. “Any action inviting tension needed to be finished immediately,” told Indonesian President, Joko Widodo, in the ASEAN Summit.

ASEAN has kept on talking with China about establishing rules for the actions of interested countries with legal bindings. However, China is reluctant on making “rules,” which may restrict its activities in the region. Southeast Asian nations know well about the consequence of supporting United States, which may lead to deterioration of cooperative economic relationship with China. Although ASEAN Summit declared the establishment of ASEAN Community at the end of this year, integration as an independent multi-national community is still full of uncertainty.

Divided in Power Politics

While the Western world stood united against the terrorism, the nations from Pacific Rim fell in a standoff with power politics. The Summit Meeting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation delivered Leaders’ Declaration, which sent no clear message for regional security or international trade. Asia-Pacific world is growingly divided in two.

One of the most important issues in APEC 2015 was how that traditional framework could address regional security. The summit meeting was held in the time when United States and China were struggling over the control on Spratly Islands in South China Sea. That sensitive theme was excluded from Leaders’ Declaration. China insisted on the nature of APEC, which had basically been an economic framework, and lobbied to the host nation, Philippine not to raise the issue in the declaration.

U.S. delegation avoided being caught with sharp opposition against China. Instead, it focused on bilateral diplomacy with Asia-Pacific nations. On the first day in Manila, President Barack Obama visited Philippine navy vessels supplied by U.S. To the Philippine that were suffering from unilateral advance of China, Obama promised two more vessels to Philippine and $250 million of expenditure for maritime security in Southeast Asian nations for next two years. Consecutive summit meeting with close nations including Japan, Australia or Canada demonstrated containment policy against China.

Leaders’ Declaration included only a few words about American-led trade framework, Trans-Pacific Partnership. “We note the recent development on the free trade agreements in the region and the progress of the possible Pathways to the FTAAP including the finalization of Trans-pacific Partnership negotiations,” said the declaration. For APEC, TPP was one of the ways to reach FTAAP and the declaration only noted recent overwhelming agreement of TPP. China had been making every effort to degrade the trade pact.

China and Russia have been negative on the greater influence of America on the region and promote Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. Asia-Pacific region looks like divided between developed nations like U.S., Japan, Canada or Australia and other countries with shared interest, namely Philippine and Vietnam. Some nations economically dependent on emerging China are hesitant in following American leadership.

For APEC, terrorism is only the adhesive for the parties. “Under the shadow cast by the terrorist attacks in Paris, Beirut, and against Russian aircraft over the Sinai, and elsewhere, we strongly condemn all acts, methods, and practices of terrorism in all their forms and manifestations,” noted the declaration. But, it is still unclear what they are going to do to fight terrorism.

Reconfirmation of Alliance

Two leaders reconfirmed the close relationship between both sides of the ocean. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe offered President Barack Obama a support for the Operation Freedom of Navigation, which was aimed for deterring Chinese territorial claim on small islands in South China Sea. Abe’s offer was interpreted as considering dispatch of Japanese vessels to the region. Obama was welcoming any support from Japan in dealing with Asia-Pacific region.

Security issues were raised from the beginning of the meeting for one and a half hour in Manila, Philippine. “I hope to open a new chapter of cooperation for making Japan-U.S. alliance contribute to peace and stability of international society,” told Abe, noting new security legislation passed the Diet in September. Obama explained that the operation in South China Sea would be continued as a routine activity of U.S. Force. “Shinzo and I both share an interest in continuing to foster rule of law, supporting international norms in areas like freedom of navigation or maritime law,” said Obama.

Freedom of navigation in South China Sea is a common interest for both Japan and U.S. Transporting ninety percent of imported crude oil and sixty percent of natural gas through South China Sea, Japan realizes cruciality of securing safety of the sea lane. China is also getting active in East China Sea, targeting potentiality of natural gas under the sea. For Japan, further advance of China to the region is not acceptable.

For U.S., support of Japan is indispensable to maintain its influence in Asia-Pacific region in the time when war against terrorism has again rose up in the center of security issues. “I want to congratulate Prime Minister Abe on his recent legislation relating to bolstering Japanese capabilities and it will give us a chance to talk about a wide range of threats, both regionally and internationally,” told Obama.

In the context of dealing with Chinese advance, Abe and Obama hailed recent agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership. “It extended the multi-layered cooperation of Japan-U.S. alliance to the world,” said Abe. He stressed the necessity of cooperation among the nations sharing the values like freedom, democracy or rule of law. Both leaders reconfirmed their policy to work early activation of the free trade framework.

It was the day two months after Japanese security legislation passed with unilateral procedure by leading parties in the Diet. Protesters gathered in front of the Diet building, requiring abolishment of the legislation. Obama’s congratulation to Abe may stimulate resentment to U.S. that hopes Japan to be involved in every problem U.S. brings.

Recession in Japanese Economy

Cabinet Office released on Monday initial gross domestic products of Japan in the third quarter this year, which indicated annual 0.8% decline. It was negative growth for two consecutive quarters that reflected recessive aspect of Japanese economy. No resilience in capital investment and personal consumption is a sign of failure in economic policy of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, or Abenomics.

According to the survey of Cabinet Office, capital investment of private companies declined by 1.3% from last quarter. While many companies received a positive impact from cheap yen and petroleum, they were cautious to Chinese economy, which has been obscure for its future. Stocks of private companies also contributed to the decrease GDP by 0.5%. After slump of light car caused by tax increase, carmakers were devoted in reducing their stocks.

Personal consumption showed slight growth of 0.5%. It was brought by sales of air conditioner in growingly hot summer. In the silver week in September, good weather encouraged travel and going out for lunch or dinner in restaurants. “Although there partly is a weak tendency, the environment of employment and income keeps on improving and economy is in slow upswing,” told Akira Amari, Minister in Charge of Economic Revitalization.

However, economic decline for consecutive quarters generally means recession in foreign criteria. Wall Street Journal ran a headline of “Abenomics Sputters in Japan” for its editorial. The newspaper analyzed that Abe’s policy for active fiscal spending resulted in great amount of national debt and monetary easing policy did not encourage bank’s lending. It also criticizes Abe’s decision to raise consumption tax rate and increasing spending for welfare on child care and the elderly. Failing structural reform in labor market, the paper concluded that it was the time for rethink Abenomics.

Amari attributed the weak economy to business leaders. “The problem is weakness in capital investment. Managers have not get rid of deflation mind,” told Amari. Abe is going to deliver supplementary budget next year. With political reasons not to decrease his public supporting rate, Abe decided not to have fall session of the Diet, which would cause delay of economic policy. Putting priority on politics leads to further weakness of Japanese economy.

In September, Abe administration raised a goal of achieving ¥600 trillion of nominal GDP in 2020, which would require 3% growth or more. It is becoming empty promise so far, as we seen in 2% inflation target announced by Bank of Japan few years ago.

Lawsuit: Japan v. Okinawa

Japanese government filed a lawsuit against Okinawa Prefectural Government to Naha Branch of Fukuoka High Court on Tuesday. In a letter of complaint, the national government required withdrawal of the decision by Okinawan Governor Takeshi Onaga that revoked the approval for landfill in Henoko coastal area issued by his predecessor.   Frustrated with firm regional opposition based on democracy, Shinzo Abe administration brought the case to the court, abandoning dialogue with Okinawa.

Although bureaucrats in Tokyo are confident in winning the case, reasons for the lawsuit do not make much sense. The national government compared the disadvantage caused by Onaga’s decision to revoke the approval with possible disadvantage, if the approval were not revoked. National government appealed that danger of Futenma Marine Airbase would not be removed and the effort of both United States and Japanese government would be in vain.

People in Okinawa have been requiring relocation of Futenma Base out of Okinawa to remove the danger. Japanese government made mostly no effort to do that, directly posing burden coming from U.S. Removing danger in Futenma without relocating it to Henoko is not something impossible. If U.S. and Japanese government are successful in finding plan-B, their effort will not be in vain.

National government also appealed that ¥47.3 billion already spent for the construction would be in vain. It should be a cost of inappropriate exercise of administrative power, ignoring the opinion expressed in the gubernatorial election, abandoning achievement of consensus from Okinawa, and unilaterally proceeding to actual construction of landfill in Henoko.

It must be an inappropriate elaboration that the national government evaluated disadvantage of operative noise or negative impact on the nature in Henoko as “extremely small” and claimed that disadvantage of stopping landfill was the greater. “The attitude of national government to landfill the beautiful sea of Henoko and promote the construction cannot be even understandable for the people in Okinawa,” told Onaga in his press conference.

The national government seems to rely on a decision of the Supreme Court in 1968, in which administrative office can revoke its decision only when the disadvantage of maintaining the decision excessively override the disadvantage of revoking. But, power of regional government against national government is getting greater these years. It is not necessarily be a winnable case for the national government.

Going Backward with Russia

In the midst of international effort for standing against terrorism, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe did his best for improving the relationship with Russia. Abe had a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Antalya, Turkey, where world leaders were gathering for G20 Summit meeting, to achieve progress in the Northern Territory issue. While both leaders agreed on determining the most appropriate timing for Putin to visit Japan, the outcome meant the bilateral relationship was going backward, because Putin’s visit had to be done years before.

In the thirty-minute meeting, they reconfirmed to continue bilateral dialogue on leader’s level. “I positively evaluate stable procedure of dialogues and exchanges in broad area,” Abe said to Putin, “ and the important thing to put the relationship forward is keeping our talks.”

According to the announcement of Japanese officials, both leaders spent more than a half of the meeting for the territorial issue and “frankly exchanged their opinions.” They reconfirmed that they would pursue a resolution acceptable for both sides, based on the joint statement in April 2013. Putin evaluated vice-minister level meeting resumed last month as “very meaningful.” They also agreed on reinforcing bilateral relationship in security and economic cooperation.

Even how much they accumulate trivial agreement, Putin’s visit to Japan must be the greatest achievement for the improvement of Japan-Russia relationship. Both leaders once agreed on Putin’s visit to Japan in the fall of 2014. It was postponed to “appropriate time” in 2015, after Russia’s invasion to Crimea. As the crisis in Ukraine prolonged, Abe offered Putin in this September to visit Japan in the spring of 2016. Abe hoped to welcome Putin just before G8 Summit in Japan next May.

While Japan was struggling for determining actual timing of Putin’s visit, Russia began to seek Abe’s visit to Russia before Putin would go to Japan. According to Interfax News Agency, a spokesman of Kremlin told that it was possible for Abe to do that. Putin invited Abe to a regional place in Russia in Antalya meeting.

For Russia, Putin’s visit to Japan is not for settling the dispute over Northern Territory, but for drawing further economic cooperation from Japan. It is obvious that Western nations will be frustrated with unilateral extension of a helping hand to Russia that keeps on occupying a part of Ukraine. Japanese Prime Minister and Ministry of Foreign Affairs need to realize that it is difficult for them to gain any unilateral progress in the time when integrated international action is needed.

Sixty Years of Conservative Party

Sixty years had passed on Sunday, since Liberal Democratic Party had been established by the merge of Japan Democratic Party and Liberal Party in 1955. LDP was in charge of leading Japanese administration for most of postwar period. While it has been a party to represent conservative movements, LDP had an aspect of the reformer, trying to meet various demands of the people. Now, the party looks like returning old conservatism under the leadership of retrogressive Prime Minister.

International regime in Cold War caused political integrations both on the conservative and the leftist in 1955. LDP started its history in the time of reintegration of Socialist Party of Japan. Since then, LDP has been in charge of leading Japanese government except one year of coalitional administrations led by Morihiro Hosokawa and Tsutomu Hata in 1990s and three years by Democratic Party of Japan between 2009 and 2012. “Recognizing our original concept that politics is for the people, we will promote ambitious future-looking reforms, listening to the voices from region,” told LDP Secretary General, Sadakazu Tanigaki, in his statement delivered on Sunday.

While it includes constitutional amendment in its party manifesto, LDP had long been devoted to economic progress of Japan without actual efforts for reviewing Constitution of Japan. It was Jun-ichiro Koizumi administration when internal movement for the amendment grew in the party. As supposed to be a successor of Koizumi politics, Abe has been active in reviewing Constitution of Japan. Although he avoided stepping into constitutional amendment last year, when he changed traditional interpretation of Article 9 that the Constitution was prohibiting exercise of collective self-defense, Abe has still been ambitious to integrate conservative power enough to take initiative in the Diet.

In the process of reintegration of conservative movement, fractions in LDP became less active these years. In the presidential election of LDP in 1956, lawmakers in the party were categorized into five groups led by candidates: Nobusuke Kishi, Ichiro Kono, Takeo Miki, Hayato Ikeda and Eisaku Sato. It was the starting point of fraction politics of LDP, which caused money scandals represented by Lockheed Scandal of Kakusi Tanaka. Under unilateral leadership of Koizumi or Abe, political groups in LDP lost their power.

One character of LDP had been party-oriented politics, in which party leaders had great influence to Prime Minister’s office. Distribution of wealth rooted on party organization that reflected various voices from regions is no longer needed in low-growth economy these years. It is fair to say that Abe is taking advantage of that political tendency for his top-down style politics. The point is whether that authoritarianism will be welcomed by the people.

Essay Shaken by Terrorist Attack

Newspapers decorated the front page with huge headlines and photographs, reporting simultaneous terrorist attack in Paris followed by criminal statement by Islamic State. While French President, François Hollande, recognized the terrorism as war in France, the Japanese media realized the attacks on civil society as retaliation against France’s involvement in concerted effort to eliminate Islamic extremist terrorism. However, no prescription for protecting the country from terrorist attacks has been found in Japan.

Japanese newspapers reported that the attacks killed one hundred twenty-seven people, Hollande immediately issued the declaration of emergency on all over the country and IS warned the world that the event was simply the beginning of a storm. Eight terrorists at least were committed to the consecutive assaults in six places including soccer stadium in exhibition match between France and Germany, night club in a concert of American rock band or café and restaurant clouded in a Friday evening. The attack obviously targeted innocent civilian life in Paris.

Why Paris, anyway? Japanese media connected the event to current involvement of France in the operation of air raid on IS in Syria or Iraq and terrorist assault on a satirical weekly newspaper, Charlie Hebdo, in Paris. It was stressed that France has been embracing potentiality of terrorism with growing immigrants that had caused public frustration stemming from the gap between the rich and poor. France was depicted as one of the soft targets in the Western world.

Major countries denounced the terrorism and expressed solidarity with the French. President of United States, Barack Obama, called Hollande and offered every support for investigation on the criminals. Russian President, Uladimir Putin, send Hollande a telegram to require international cooperation to fight those terrorisms. Even Chinese President, Xi Jinping, expressed “the strongest accusation against this barbaric activity.”

Japan joined the collective denouncement on the terrorist organization. “No matter what the reason, this kind of devilish and contemptible terrorism cannot be tolerated and I firmly criticize it,” told Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a message to Hollande. He was in Istanbul to attend G20 Summit Meeting in Turkey. “Japan will closely cooperate with France and international society to deter terrorism,” said Abe to the reporters in Istanbul.

However, Japan can actually not join air raid on IS. It can do mostly nothing in military operation to dismantle the terrorist organization. One shocking thing was that the terrorism in Paris occurred under tight security for coming international conference on climate change later this month. An immediate headache for Japanese government is how to protect world leaders in G8 Summit Meeting in Japan next May.

Ultimatum on Nuclear Recycle

Nuclear Regulation Authority on Friday recommended Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Hiroshi Hase, replace the operational body of the Fast Breeder Reactor named Monju in Fukui. In short, Japan Atomic Energy Agency was labeled as incompetent in the development of technology for nuclear fuel recycle. It may lead to dismantlement of a project, which once a great hope for nuclear village in Japan.

The recommendation strongly questioned qualification of JAEA as an operational body of Monju. “Time has passed without any achievement after the accident of sodium leakage in 1995, in spite of various effort for security,” told the recommendation. NRA was frustrated with JAEA, having no achievement to take regulative measures, and the Ministry, failing in losing control on it.

NRA explained why JAEA had to leave. The authority issued two orders to take security measures in December 2012 and May 2013. Nevertheless, JAEA has not been in a situation for reconfirming the result of required measures. “We cannot suppose,” said the recommendation, “that one unable to take appropriate and firm security measures during the reactors are not in operation will be able to do that in the time of operation.” NRA dismissed JAEA’s viability as an operator of nuclear power plant.

NRA also denounced the Ministry in charge of science and technology. “Although the authority have been urging the Ministry to appropriately oversee JAEA, no effort was rewarded in terms of making actual improvement in the activities of the agency,” said the recommendation. Having said that, NRA required the Ministry to determine the alternative operating body and make a fundamental review on the facility for nuclear power generation called Monju within a half year.

When passing over the recommendation, Chairman of NRA, Shun-ichi Tanaka, told Hase that it would not be easy to find an alternative body. Although Hase asked advice from the authority, Tanaka did not reply and finished the dialogue in only three minutes. JAEA has been lazy as if it were ignoring the requirements from the regulatory body of national government.

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, dealing with nuclear power generation, does not care about the crisis of nuclear fuel recycling project, showing no interest in finding an alternative operating body of Monju. Fast breeder reactor, capable of generating more fissile material than it consumes, has been a hopeful technology for the nuclear village in Japan. But, they seem to be awaking from the dream.

Democratic Victory in the Last Frontier

As days pass from the voting for general election, regime change in Myanmar is getting realistic. National League for Democracy, led by charismatic woman leader Aung San Suu Kyi, announced on Thursday that it secured 400 seats out of 664 in the congress, which made the birth of new democratic administration likely. Japan has to explore new relationship with the last frontier in Asian economy.

To the land-sliding victory of NLD, incumbent President, Thein Sein, already admitted the defeat of leading Union Solidarity and Development Party and congratulated Suu Kyi. Thein Sein promised smooth transition of administrative power. Foreign nations are recognizing new democratic administration. President of United States made a phone call to Suu Kyi to cerebrate her victory. “President Thein Sein should be proud of this historical turning point. Bold reform by the President addressed the future of Myanmar,” Obama told Thein Sein, according to a news report in Japan.

25% of all seats, 166, are occupied by the military. The election was held for the rest of 498 seats. According to official announcement, NLD occupied 291 out of 359 fixed seats, taking 80% share of voted seats. Military-led USDP won as few as 33 seats.

Myanmar Congress has bicameral system. The President will be elected from three candidates, candidates of people’s representatives of each house and of the military of both houses. But, a person who has foreign family cannot make presidency in legal provision in Myanmar. Suu Kyi is not eligible for the president, because she has a son with nationality of United Kingdom.

Suu Kyi is ambitions to be a supreme power in Myanmar, overwhelming new coming President. “I will decide everything as the leader of the party. The President has no power,” told Suu Kyi as soon as the voting was finished. Although result of the election was supported long democratic movement led by Suu Kyi, her bold remark caused criticism to new despotism. “Suu Kyi is saying that she wanted to amend the constitution made by old military regime,” told an officer of NLD.

Japan also is concerning the future of Myanmar. It has been said that Suu Kyi does not have good impression on Japan, because Japan has been supporting military administration with development aid, while the Western nations were taking sanctions. Although Japanese government invited Suu Kyi to Japan and met with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, its effect on bilateral relation is not clear. In the situation that Myanmar is approaching China expecting great economic progress, reinforcement of Japan-U.S. alliance may cause further distance from emerging regime in Myanmar.

To Stop Administrative Extravagant

Administrative Reform Promotion Council, headed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, had an open meeting for verification of Administrative Project Review on Wednesday. The council recommended Japan Atomic Energy Agency to consider future options, including disuse of a ship for transporting used nuclear fuel, which had mostly been unused these years. In the meeting, a number of administrative extravagances were exposed to criticisms.

JAEA built in 2006 a ship named Kaiei-maru to transport used nuclear fuel produced from an advanced thermal reactor, Fugen, which ceased its operation in 2003 and had been left to be dismantled. Although Japanese government poured ¥10 billion to the ship so far, it operated for transportation only four times. The ship has not used, since November 2011.

Kaiei-maru had been moored for 342 days in the Port of Muroran, Hokkaido, last fiscal year. It actually left the port for only four times to have maintenance. Although it has only been the ship for the purpose in Japan, Kaiei-maru lost its raison d’être as Fugen was in the process of dismantlement and new fast-breeder reactor, Monju, had been hopeless. “We cannot spend money for a project unexplainable to the people,” told Minister in Charge of Administrative Reform, Taro Kono, in the meeting on Wednesday.

Projects related to nuclear energy became direct targets in the review. Subsidy for building new nuclear power generation plant in Oma, Aomori, by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry was also criticized as inefficient. The plant has been recognized as being to be the first facility in the world to use mixed oxide fuel in every reactor. While METI has spent ¥29 billion to support its technological development since 1996, only 4% of the money from national budget was actually used. The council required the operating body, J Power, to return the money unspent.

However, the review is not a project that determines the fate of administrative projects, which method was once employed in the administration of Democratic Party of Japan. Ministries will voluntarily decide which project should be continued or killed. While Kono has been regarded as a prominent reformer in Liberal Democratic Party, it is unclear whether he can suppress resistance from bureaucracy for continuing past projects.

Abe administration has not been so positive in administrative reform. For his political agenda, including advanced military capability, Abe has been appropriating a great amount of money from national budget. It is not Kono, but Prime Minister, who has to be the reformist leader for saving tax money.