Campaign Discussion in Heat

Before the official announcement for coming election of House of Councillors, policy discussion between parties is heating up. Candidates appeal rightness of some important policies of his/her party. In the open debate in Sapporo, Hokkaido, which has five candidates from major parties for three vacant seats, security issues or Abenomics was thoroughly discussed.

On new security legislation, which Prime Minister Shinzo Abe legislated last year, two candidates of Liberal Democratic Party emphasized its necessity for security of Japan. One of them, Gaku Hasegawa, told that the legislation was to deal with the change of international environment seen in China or North Korea. Another, Katsuhiro Kakiki, evaluated the legislation as a measure for protecting life, property or freedom.

Two candidates with Democratic Party, Eri Tokunaga and Yoshio Hachiro, labeled the legislation as unconstitutional. “In spite of accumulated decision of LDP that recognized exercising collective self-defense right as unconstitutional, why did Abe administration changed it? The Cold War is over. Needing peaceful diplomacy and dialogue, security legislation should be abolished,” told Tokunaga in the debate. A candidate of Japan Communist Party, Tsuneto Mori, argued that Japan would be an aggressor under the legislation, enabling Japan to be involved in an aggressive war employed by other countries.

Opposite parties are strongly accuse Abe’s willingness of amending Constitution of Japan. “Basically, who wants to amend it? Constitution is for protecting people’s right from reckless driving of despotic power. It is ridiculous for that power to initiate constitutional amendment,” told Tokunaga. Hahciro stressed that he would absolutely oppose changing Article 9 of the Constitution.

Abe is negative in discussing Constitution in his campaign speeches, because he knows that most people are reluctant to change it. Two candidates of LDP told that the amendment should be promoted through calm and realistic discussion.

On economic policy, the opposite parties determined that Abenomics was failed. Hachiro and Tokunaga criticized Abenomics as failed in increasing individual consumption. Mori argued that actual wage of the people declined, while big corporations accumulated retained earnings. Hasegawa and Kakiki admitted that Abenomics had not arrived in local region.

While the opposite parties were against resumption of nuclear power plants, the leading parties promoted resumption policy of Abe administration. Tokunaga opposed ratification of Trans-Pacific Partnership, which would affect regional economy of Hokkaido that depended on agriculture.