Unimplemented Bipartisan Promise

It took three years and three months for the two party leaders to discuss again about their promise to promote political reform. Former Prime Minister, Yoshihiko Noda, stood before the incumbent in Budget Committee of House of Representatives on Friday to ask how to implement the promise of reducing seats for the lawmakers. Well, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has actually been leaving the issue behind. But, Noda has been leaving the opportunity to ask it behind, too. For whom the reform had to be done?

In November 2012, their standpoint was the other way around: Noda was Prime Minister and Abe was the president of opposite party. Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party was accusing Noda to implement his words that he would dissolve the House of Representatives to hear public voices in the election. Noda made up his mind and said “If you promise here that you will support reducing seats of House of Representatives in next session of the Diet, I will immediately dissolve the House.” Abe promised it and Noda dissolve House of Representatives. The general election in the following month resulted in a land-sliding victory of LDP.

Noda accused Abe not implementing the promise. “As far as we pose higher consumption tax rate, we had to show our determination to sacrifice ourselves. That was why we made a promise of cutting the seats. I thought that you would apologize to the public about it,” said Noda. Abe did not answer what he was asked. “When it comes to promise, you promised then LDP president that you would dissolve the House, as the response to LDP support for your tax and social security reform,” said Abe.

It was a usual logic Abe was always taking advantage of. When he is criticized on his policy, he will accuse former administration run by Democratic Party of Japan. Noda was frustrated with the way Abe talked. “You have one bad practice. It is justifying yourself by saying ‘better than DPJ.’ I hope you to correct your attitude,” told Noda.

Actual discussion over the seat-cutting is going ridiculous. LDP is postponing the reform until 2021. As long as the Supreme Court decided current election system was in a state of unconstitutional, the reform has to be done immediately. Abe made the second promise to Noda in the discussion, which was to start new election system with 10 seats reduction as soon as 2017. But, it is still unclear how Abe can persuade the lawmakers in LDP.

There is a saying among Japanese politicians: Politics is supreme moral. The truth is that words of Japanese politicians have been turning to lies. There is another saying in Japan: lying is the beginning of thieving. They are expected not to be gang of robbers against innocent people.