Extending Term of President

As a bulwark against monarchy, the Twenty-second Amendment of the United States Constitution sets a term limit of the President, saying “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.” Although the leading party of Japan had been keeping the same kind of limit for its President, it recently discarded that rule to extend the term of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. For LDP lawmakers, a strong leader is more precious than democracy.

The Headquarter for Exercising Political System Reform of LDP on Wednesday decided to extend the term of its President, who would automatically be the Prime Minister of Japan when the party possessed administrative power, from two terms with six years to three terms with nine years. The new rule will be applied after next March, when the party will hold annual National Convention.

Why the extension of the term was raised in this timing? The term of Abe as the party president will be expired September 2018. Being ambitious to amend the Constitution under his administration, Abe picked Toshihiro Nikai, who had been positive on extending the term with reason of maintaining stable leadership of LDP, for Secretary General right after being reelected as the President last fall. Appointing a submissive veteran lawmaker, Masahiko Komura, to the leader of the Headquarters, Abe contained critical opinion against his long term inside the party.

The discussion in the Headquarters was something external. The greatest point, whether the term should be extended or not, was soon concluded as different from “global standard.” Komura asserted that it was only Japan among the countries in Group of Seven with parliamentary cabinet system that had limit of the term of party leader. The greatest talking point was whether the term should be limited to nine years or unlimited. Removing the limitation was dismissed with concern of criticism from the public.

If Abe will be successful in extending his term, he will be on the top of the ranking of long-term Prime Ministers of Japan during his third term. Current top runner of the ranking is Taro Katsura, a Prime Minister under the constitution of Imperial Japan, who was at the seat for 2,886 days. Abe will be able to stay for over 3,500 days, if he is reelected again.

Shigeru Ishiba, former Minister of Defense, or Fumio Kishida, incumbent Foreign Minister, should be the candidate for succeeding Abe. But, they are not so active for campaigning for next regime, being afraid of infuriating a powerful leader. Most LDP lawmakers are comfortable under Abe’s leadership, concerning coming election. Democracy against monarchy cannot be seen in their obedience.