Three Reasons for Impeachment

House of Representatives rejected a motion of non-confidence against the Cabinet led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with overwhelming opposition of Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito and Osaka Restoration Party. Actual purpose of four opposite parties that submitted the motion was to clarify how wrong Abe administration had been in handling the nation. President of Democratic Party, Katsuya Okada, raised three reasons for Abe to step down.

The first reason was failure of Abenomics. Abe promised no rescheduling of consumption tax increase, when he dissolved House of Representatives to extend his term as Premier in 2014. Not being able to create the environment for tax hike, Abe is delaying it for two and a half years. “The rescheduling means postponing final decision for the tax increase after the end of your term as President of LDP and abandoning fiscal consolidation goal of turning primary fiscal balance into the black,” said Okada in his explanatory speech for the motion in House of Representatives.

Okada also criticized Abe’s economy policy as enlarged the gap between rich and poor and exacerbated poverty. Then referred to his surprising impression on Abe’s recognition of world economy as close to the eve of Lehman Shock. “I do not know such a view. The common notion of the Prospect of International Monetary Fund, Group of Seven Financial Ministers and Governors of Central Bank Meeting or Japanese government itself is that world economy is slowly recovering and growing in spite of existence of risk,” argued Okada. He concluded that Abenomics was deadlocked.

Secondly, Okada raised significant challenge against constitutionalism and pacifism. Abe made an unconstitutional decision to enable Japanese Self-defense Force to exercise collective self-defense right. “Under extremely ambiguous ‘new three conditions,’ new security legislation authorizes use of force in the situation of ‘crisis of existence.’ This is a blank check for defense mobilization by the Cabinet,” said Okada. Raising an argument of no intervention to someone’s war, he accused Abe of its twisting pacifism written in the Constitution of Japan.

Thirdly, Okada labeled Abe’s politics as coercive and dishonest. He quoted money scandal of former Minister in charge of Trans-Pacific Partnership, Akira Amari, handling of negotiation in TPP and violation of freedom of press and people’s right to access information. He also raised Okinawa issue as another evidence of coercive politics. It will be the key for coming election that the people will consider those points for voting.