Deserter Under Enemy’s Fire

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced on Monday that he would dissolve the House of Representatives on Friday. The election of the House will be announced on October 10^th and voted on October 28^th. He explained the cause of the dissolution as asking public judge on his new policy to change the purpose of consumption tax hike scheduled in October 2019. It does not make sense, anyway. The opposite parties accused Abe as taking advantage of the executive power for his personal political interests.

In the press conference Monday evening, Abe introduced his unique recognition on the relationship between tax and democracy. “Tax is democracy, indeed,” told Abe, “and as long as I make a big decision to change the purpose of consumption tax hike, I have to ask the people of my cause.” Tax is against democracy, you know. United States fought for independence, arguing taxation without representation contradicted democracy. Strangely enough, Abe drew his own reasoning that tax is democracy.

The government expects that consumption tax hike from 8% to 10% will yield additional revenue amounting ¥5 trillion. It has been assuming to use ¥4 trillion for redeeming national deficit and ¥1 trillion for improving social security. Abe currently began to change that plan and appropriate some of the resource for education. He revealed his idea on Monday that he would introduce new policy to make fees for kindergarten or nursery school free by 2020.

If he wanted to introduce that policy, it should ordinarily be discussed in the Diet before dissolving the House of Representatives. The lawmakers will discuss benefits and disadvantages of the policy, which may contribute to detailed knowledge of the people on the issue. Facing firm opposition on his policy and he still believes in his cause, Prime Minister can dissolve the House to hear the voices of the voters. That is how parliamentary democracy works. Abe ignores that process.

Abe also raised North Korean issue as a cause of dissolution. “Election as a basis of democracy must not affected by threat from North Korea,” told Abe. “I would rather ask the people how should I handle it.” In the general debate in United Nations last week, Abe concluded that the dialogue with North Korea had come to naught, raising his position to the hardestliner of the world. He might have required the people an approval for all the options including military.

Failing in explaining the cause of dissolution, Abe is doubted to have done that for concealing his private scandals of Moritomo and Kake Gakuen. In the press conference, he did not raise constitutional amendment as the important issue, which is important actually. “This is deserting under enemy’s fire,” told President of Democratic Party, Seiji Maehara.