In the Kyoto City mayoral election held on the 4th, newcomer Koji Matsui was elected for the first time. A former member of the Democratic Party of Japan’s House of Councilors, nominated by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. Representative Kenta Izumi emphasized that, along with the candidates in the Maebashi mayoral election, “both of the candidates we supported were elected.” However, disappointment and doubts are spreading among those who view the LDP government harshly on a daily basis. There are also experts who appear in the Tokyo Shimbun’s “Kochira Special News Department.” This time it was “carpooling with the LDP,” but is that the only reason to be sad? (Naoaki Nishida, Shintaro Soda)
◆ Ritsumeikan was “carpooling” with the same candidates as the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito.
Kyoto City Hall = Photo taken in 2021
One of the focal points in the Kyoto mayoral election was the movement of the Japan Restoration Association. Co-chairman and Osaka Prefectural Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura said in August last year that he would “put forward candidates as part of the Meiji Restoration,” making other parties nervous about the party’s expansion outside Osaka Prefecture.
The Ritmin joined forces with the LDP and Kobe to recommend Mr. Matsui, while the Communist Party supported Mr. Kazuto Fukuyama, who advocated “independent citizen faction.” Speaking of the Meiji Restoration, the new Kyoto-based party “Association for Realizing Free Education,” led by House of Representatives member Seiji Maehara, and the Democratic Party of Japan recommended former city councilor Yoshiei Murayama, but suspicions regarding political funding parties surfaced. , the recommendation was cancelled.
In the end, Mr. Matsui won a close race against Mr. Fukuyama by about 16,000 votes, but this result has caused disappointment and doubts about the Ritsumeikan.
◆ “Helped to extend the life of the LDP”
“His face in the Diet and his face in Kyoto were completely different.” Kenichi Oshima, a Ryukoku University professor of environmental economics who lives in Kyoto, laments.
During the mayoral election, representative representatives of Kyoto-based Ritsumeikan, including Representative Izumi and former secretary-general Tetsuro Fukuyama, came to support the party.
Mr. Oshima said, “Even though he could have created an anti-Liberal Democratic Party trend by waiting on his previous line, which lasted 16 years for four terms, he assisted in prolonging the life of the Liberal Democratic Party.”I say this because I have high expectations, but it seems like he is being duplicitous. ” he said regretfully.
Before the mayoral election, former secretary-general Fukuyama answered in an interview with a local newspaper, “We cannot hand over city government to the Communist Party or the Meiji Restoration.” In 2021, Matsui, who nominated the party, criticized the Constitutional Democratic Party for its tendency to collaborate with the Communist Party in a monthly magazine article entitled, “In my opinion, it’s completely over.”
Kyoto’s landmark “Kyoto Tower”
Masahiro Yamazaki, a military and conflict history researcher, said indignantly, “The fact that he stood by Mr. Matsui, who criticized the party, and united with the Liberal Democratic Party is significant.” “Are RDP executives’ “anti-Communist” policy a higher priority than pursuing the slush funds issue?It will disappoint supporters who wish for the end of LDP-style politics, and the impact will extend to national politics.” and question the cause of the election. Rakugo storyteller Danshiro Tachikawa also concluded, “If there is no convincing explanation, the confusion among supporters will not subside.”
◆“I am not prepared to defeat the LDP”
There are other causes of disappointment and doubt. Speaking of the Liberal Democratic Party in Kyoto who joined Mr. Matsui, there is Shoji Nishida, a member of the House of Councilors. He was strongly conservative and stated that the Imperial Rescript on Education was “Japan’s traditional values.”
Tetsuya Iida, director of the Institute for Environmental and Energy Policy Research, who spent time in Kyoto as a student and teacher, dismisses it as “the worst.” He is also in the middle of a slush fund scandal, and says, “The behavior of the RDP executives is a political strategic failure.”
Ikuo Gonoi, a political science professor at Takachiho University, said, “There are some lines that supporters of the Liberal Democratic Party cannot compromise on, such as historical revisionism,” and “unless we can differentiate ourselves from the Liberal Democratic Party, we will not be able to fight together with the opposition.”
Hiroshi Samejima, a journalist who graduated from Kyoto University, questions the “fighting stance.” “The former Democratic-affiliated legislators, whose local organizations are weak, cannot go against the wishes of the coalition that controls elections.The coalition, which wants to implement labor policies, favors the incumbent in the mayor’s election, which is completely incompatible with the Communist Party. He has continued to contradict himself by pretending to fight with the Liberal Democratic Party while holding hands in the constituencies under his feet.”
Mr. Samejima laments that he was able to glimpse the “self-preservation” of the Ritsumeikan people through the carpooling of the Kyoto mayoral election.
“Former Secretary-General Fukuyama has been competing for two seats with the Liberal Democratic Party and the Communist Party,” he said, adding, “I don’t think he is trying to increase his own allies” by electing his local mayor, even if it means riding along with him. Furthermore, he goes on to say, “The RDP, like the Socialist Party in the past, prioritizes maintaining seats.We are not prepared to defeat the LDP even if we end up competing against each other.”
◆Representative Kenta Izumi: “The Liberal Democratic Party should do whatever it takes.”
So, what does Representative Izumi of Ritmin think?
At a press conference on the 9th, Ritsumeikan endorsed Mr. Matsui, saying, “He is a former member of the Democratic Party of Japan administration. He advocates a new public service and takes great care of the citizens, and we have a relationship of trust.” He emphasized that he did. Regarding carpooling, he explained, “This is not about each political party doing something together.Other parties may have recommended Mr. Matsui, but each party is making their own decisions.”
Representative Izumi of the Constitutional Democratic Party holds a press conference on the 9th at the 2nd House of Representatives Building in Nagatacho, Tokyo.
The Kyoto City mayoral election has long been a contest between the ruling and opposition parties, pitting “non-communist” against “communist.” When I asked Mr. Izumi whether local circumstances had an influence this time around, he answered, “There are many forms of carpooling not only in Kyoto but all over the country.As a party, we face the candidate and decide whether it is okay or not.Kyoto’s special case. It’s not a matter of circumstances.”
Even in such a situation, the residents are expressing their disappointment. The Izumi clan, like the Ritmin, targeted the Liberal Democratic Party, which had supported the Matsui clan.
“In the latter half of the election, there were reports that LDP members in Kyoto were involved in a slush fund, and the election of Mr. Matsui, who was a really great candidate, became a close contest. The LDP is playing a trick.”
When asked what message he would give to people who are disappointed in carpooling, he answered, “I felt a fear that the Liberal Democratic Party would take over the candidate we recommended.If someone receives a recommendation from another party after our nomination, is that really the right thing to do?” We need to start asking questions of candidates as well.” When asked whether this would lead to a loss of support from the Liberal Democratic Party, he emphasized, “That shouldn’t happen.What’s wrong is that the Liberal Democratic Party caused the slush fund problem.”
◆“I want to win the mayoral election even if I have to carpool”
What do other members of the Diet think?
One young lawmaker revealed that he has received voices questioning the idea of carpooling, and says, “I imagine it would be difficult for voters to understand why they would align themselves with their opponents in national politics.” On the other hand, he said, “There are circumstances in rural areas where it is difficult for the RDP to win on its own. National politics and local autonomy are separate, and in order to implement policies and improve the region, I would like to win the mayor’s election even if we work together.” leak.
Kenta Izumi (far left), Tetsuro Fukuyama (second), and Seiji Maehara (fourth) during the Democratic Party of Japan in Fushimi Ward, Kyoto City in 2016
Another mid-ranking lawmaker said, “Kyoto is at the base of Representative Izumi. It’s only natural that there would be criticism, asking, “What are you doing?”” but added, “This is about the election of a local mayor. If you focus on politics and money issues, you’ll forget about it in a month.” A lawmaker with knowledge of Kyoto’s political affairs said, “In Kyoto, other mayoral elections have long been fought on a “non-communist” versus “communist” basis.It is understood that this is beneficial for the region.” I scoff at it.
◆“Even if we say that we will join hands with the ruling party in the regions and change the government in the center.”
However, no matter the circumstances, there are a lot of problems that are connected to local areas, such as the former Unification Church, slush funds, and the World’s Fair. Kazunori Kawamura, associate professor of political science at Tohoku University Graduate School, says now is the time to question traditional politics in local elections.
“Local autonomy is said to be the school of democracy, but the current government is focused on national affairs.It is extremely disrespectful to local governments to share the position of the representative. “The idea of teaming up with the ruling party and calling for a change of government at the center will not resonate with voters and will be abandoned by voters.”
“If we don’t create a party-centered election system for local mayoral elections, we will be disappointed. Ritmin needs to transform into a national political party that includes local areas.”
◆Desk memo
Regarding the Kyoto mayoral election, I never expected that Mr. Izumi would say, “The Liberal Democratic Party is at fault.” What many people are lamenting is, “Why didn’t they create a conflict structure with the Liberal Democratic Party?” Even so, was it really a good idea to say something that would deflect the criticism? All I can do is sigh. (Sakaki)
2024-02-10 03:00:00
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