General Elections	No.643 July 28, 2009
		General elections will be held on August 30. Prime Minister Aso Taro finally resorted to his authority to dissolve parliament after several attempts to do so. Lawmakers will be elected in the midst of possible government alternation. The biggest opposition, Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), however, fluctuates: it has announced a decision to continue the fuel supply mission to the multinational troops in the Indian Ocean, changing from the previous policy. It also proclaimed a permission to bring nuclear arsenals into the territory of Japan, which has long been cowardly covered by the governments of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). It is the crucial time now: what will happen to Constitution? What is a duty for those who defend it? We have a candidate, Hara Kazumi, in the Hyogo Prefecture, who leads pro-constitution movements. Let’s organize workers and citizens angry at state’s politics. LET’S OVERTHROW LDP-KOMEITO GOVERNMENT! LET’S FIGHT FOR CANDIDATE HARA TO WIN! Structural reforms carried out during the Koizumi administration have undermined functions of municipalities, including welfare services, and aggravated labor environments. These phenomena are further deteriorated by the economic depression, destroying living conditions of workers, farmers and small-medium-sized business people. In the recent metropolitan assembly elections held in Tokyo gave victory to the Democratic Party of Japan, which reflects voters’ indignation against the LDP-Komeito-led government accumulated since the 07 Upper House elections. People’s lives get worse. The LDP, as a ruling party, has missed capabilities: an internal strife to turn over Premier Aso, a fuss on the governors of Osaka and Miyazaki Prefectures, Governor Hashimoto and Governor Higashi-Kokubaru, respectively, and etc. It has lost philosophy, credo, alertness and eagerness of governance. The LDP destroys itself. Metropolitan voters have deserted the LDP. The Abe and Fukuda administrations, inheriting that of Koizumi, threw abruptly away responsibilities in a period shorter than a year, and the succeeding Aso, in desperation, ‘dissolved’ the Diet. Nobody can tell what will happen, but political turmoil will last even after the elections. Contradictions of Two-Big Party System The DPJ’s victory is a result of the ruling LDP’s retreat, or the party’s self-destruction made in the political theater of the two-big party reign as a consequence of the small constituency election system. The victory does not mean a people’s option, or representing an organized voters’ claim to express indignation. The DPJ shifts conveniently as a realist, focusing the general elections, as it feels heavy responsibility to become a government. It reaffirms the US-Japan alliance, reviews the prohibition of entry of nuclear arms to Japan, decreases child-care family allowance to a half and chooses the LDP-proposed new provincial scheme instead of their original version. The DPJ, composed of various political trends, is not supported by solid determination of the electorate. Most of the candidates come from the Matsushita Institute of Government and Management, a private, pro-business school, or are quasi-LDP politicians who cling to structural reforms. The party is proud of this ‘merit’. Assisting vulnerable people is a secondary priority. Even if the DPJ wins this time, the crony politics will not end: it will be replacement of the families of Abe, Fukuda and Aso with that of Hatoyama. As is seen in the political fund scandal over the leader Hatoyama, the DPJ will not work for the sake of people. Political confusion and reorganization will continue after the elections. What Will Happen to Constitution? In the July’s Tokyo metropolitan elections, the Social-Democratic Party and Communist Party were completely defeated in an estimate of government alteration. The situation is severe, which will remain for a while. It is crucial to unite pro-Constitution forces to field common candidates. The point lies not in relying on the existing parties but in creating ‘another instrument’ under the two-big party system. High voting rates were recorded in the recent local elections. This means that those who have not joined elections before went to a ballot box massively: they are employed on the irregular basis, politically neutral or young workers. People leave the ruling LDP, which is a good opportunity to us. The New Socialist Party has worked to defend Constitution in the level of local politics. We have struggled to organize people and their demands. We claim that ‘sovereign right lies in people’ and that ‘workers are main players in the society’. Let’s go into among workers and citizens who are at a loss. Let’s share anger with them. Let’s enhance movements to defend Constitution together with Candidate Hara Kazumi. Let’s continue struggling. Let’s conquer the anticipated political mess and rearrangement to come after the general elections. These activities will go on to the Upper House election in 2010 and local assembly elections in 2011.