| Analysis |
: Organizational analysis of a new democratic party of Japan 13,April 1998 |
| It is decided that four parties consisting of New Amity Party (Yuai) (represented
by Kansei Nakano), Good Governors Party (Minsei-tou) (represented by Tsutomu
Hata), Democratic Party of Japan (Minshu-tou) (represented by Naoto Kan)
and Democratic Reform Parliamentary ( Minshu Kaikaku Rengo) (represented
by Teiko Sasano) will pull together and form a new party. It is also decided
that Mr. Naoto Kan (currently representing Democratic Party of Japan and
the former Minister of Health and Welfare) will be the representative of
the new party and Mr. Tsutomu Hata (currently representing Good Governors
Party and the former Prime Minister) will be the Secretary-General. The name of the Democratic Party of Japan will be maintained as the name of the new party, which will adopt central democratic policies as its guiding principles and will try to regain political power. We can characterize these parties by a simple expression of patchwork parties. In other words, these parties are kinds of party where diet members who are traditionally supported by their individual supporting groups and diet members whose supporting bodies are labor unions gathered together and formed patchwork parties. If we analyze the following characteristics of the political parties which will form a new Democratic Party of Japan, we can understand the reality of these parties. Good Governors Party is mainly composed of those diet members who used to belong to the Liberal Democratic Party and whose political foundations are supporting organizations which mostly consists of supporters of a particular diet member as an individual. Democratic Party of Japan is composed of those diet members who were civil movements activists such as Mr. Naoto Kan, and also those who joined the party because of the dissolution of the Social Democratic Party. These diet members have won elections by gaining supports from labor unions related to the General Council of Trade Unions of Japan (mainly those unions are organized by employees or officials of local governments). In fact, the Democratic Party of Japan itself was formed by the initiatives of Mr. Yukio Hatoyama and Mr. Naoto Kan before the House of Representatives election in October, 1996. However, it resulted in the joint party formed by diet members whose supporting bodies vary in their political philosophy or principles. The New Amity Party originated from the Japan Democratic Socialist Party. Although it dissolved itself by joining the New Frontier Party, since there was no significant change in their supporting bodies, they could easily revive as a political party. This party is also supported by labor unions. However, the labor unions which support the New Amity Party are not identical with those support Social Democratic Party (Shamin-tou) or Democratic Party of Japan. The labor unions which support the New Amity Party are allegedly related to the Japanese Confederation of Labor which are composed of labor unions of private companies. What we can understand from the above analysis is that political parties are supported by various bodies. When the New Frontier Party dissolved itself and split into several small parties, it was clear which body is supporting which party. It became clear that labor unions, which were divided into those supporting Social Democratic Party (Shamin-tou) and Democratic Party of Japan, and those supporting New Frontier Party, can now consolidate their supports on the new Democratic Party of Japan. Such movement will create a political force of certain influence. It is clear that the government will no longer take any policy which would reduce government employment. However, the creation of the new party will not significantly affect those voters who do not support a particular political party In general, a political party is an organization which upholds certain goals, solicits public supports, and tries to achieve such goals by assuming political power. Notwithstanding, as we can understand from the example of the new Democratic Party of Japan, recently formed political parities are formed by small groups not because they share political goals but because they think pulling together is effective in winning elections. As a result, these parties lack in clear political goals. Even if they are ridiculed as new parties formed out of political concerns, they will have no word to retort. Here lies the reason why Japanese public are increasingly becoming weary of political parties and politics. Most investors are keenly interested in whether Japanese markets will recover or not and whether business will reinvigorate in Japan or not. Most of the Japanese are also hoping the stabilization of financial system and business recovery. However, we have no political party which can respond to these needs. Now, stronger voices are heard in Japan which call for a creation of a new political party formed in a new style coming out of the public needs. Such party should not be the extension of traditional parties or gathering of traditional parties. |
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