We, the New Socialist Party members, have worked strenuously to make the Peace Constitution be practiced in the people’s daily life since the foundation of the party in 1996. In the year 2025, however, events have taken place visibly that we fear most gravely. What does this reality mean? Where can we find hopes for the future?
WHERE CAN WE FIND HOPES IN THIS UNCERTAIN AGE?
As boiled water changes into steam at the boiling point, history, too, sees a qualitative turning point.
The year 2025 has witnessed crucial changes in the post-war history: in the Upper House election in July the opposition parties, which are more rightist than the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), have grown rapidly and the LDP, the traditional conservative, has allied with the rightwing party in the coalition government. This is the first historic event seen in the politics of Japan after WWII.
Deterioration has proceeded excessively
The political phenomena today show, too, the outcomes of 30 years of history after the dissolution of the Socialist Party and the General Council of Trade Unions of Japan. Since 2015, when the new national security agenda were legislated, the government has encouraged to prepare for wars. Three documents for national security were enacted in 2022, and since then relevant bills have been approved, sometimes, unanimously, incorporating the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP), the biggest opposition party. Deterioration in politics has gone beyond a certain limit, which, in turn, impacts on the electorate. This fact was reflected in the July election results.
As you know, China has reacted sternly to the statement made by Premier Takaichi; this shows a fact that the current Japan’s military build-up policy based on the deterrence against the Asian nation, has exceeded a border line, too. Premier is unable, now, to ‘retract’ her account, because that means she is to weaken ‘deterrence’ capabilities against China. Her government is to achieve a target of 2% of GDP for military spending prior to the scheduled fiscal, being hasty to attain up to 3.5%.
One of the three poles contained in the recent Comprehensive Economic Policies is to boost ‘capabilities of defense and diplomacy’, which means a beginning of strategic support of military industries, and comes soon lifting of bans on exporting weapons. Her government is to enact an anti-espionage law and establish a Japanese-version CIA. It is, without any hesitation, to set up surveillance and control networks against people.
Besides national security and diplomacy, qualitative changes are not seen perceptibly in terms of taxes and public services. For the past years the opposition political parties have been split due to their minute assertions over demands. Thus, lawmakers are not keen on a broader perspective in the Diet debates.
In addition, confrontation has been produced between the working generation and the elderly, and hostility has been stirred up against ‘preferential treatment’ to foreigners. As a result, a party like the Sansei-to, or the Party of Do It Yourself, has gained popularity, though that is bizarre. The Takaichi government has worsend the healthcare program, which shows an intention to abandon the elderly and weak people.
A joint struggle is a hope of people
In the July election we have cooperated with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as well as citizens groups: this struggle has barely maintained the SDP’s status as a political party (over 2% of votes). The Japanese Communist Party (JCP) has retreated. We have learned that people expect to see a solid political pole which declares No War! and No-armed status of the nation, because they are uncertain over odd changes in the society.
Simultaneously, a political mood has been created in which the SDP and the JCP work together. Currently the government enjoys a high support rate, while a negative feeling to China prevails in the society. Therefore, it is hard for us to advance boldly at the moment. But to respond to hopes of sincere people in the joint struggle is a future perspective.
A general election is foreseen after dissolution of the Cabinet. It will become preliminaries over amendment of Article Nine of the Constitution (which prohibits a war).
私たち新社会党は結党以来、平和憲法の実現をめざし努力してきたが、いちばん危惧した事態がこの１年間で表面化した。この事態は何を意味し、展望はどこにつくりだされているのだろうか。
熱した水が沸点で水蒸気に転化するように、歴史にも質的な転換点がある。 今年は戦後を画する転換が表面化した。参院選で自民党より右の「野党」が急伸し自民党（保守本流）が「右」と連立するというのは、戦後政治史上初めてだ。
限度を超えた劣化
社会党・総評解体以降30年の決算でもある。２０１５年の安保法制から戦争準備が動き出し、22年「安保三文書」以降は「安保」関連法案への対応は場合によっては、立憲民主党も含め「翼賛」状態となった。この政治的劣化が一定限度を超え有権者に作用し、参院選の結果をもたらした。
高市発言に中国が猛反発したのも、中国への「抑止」論に立つ軍拡が一定限度を超えたことの証である。発言「撤回」は、中国への「抑止力」を弱めることになるので今更できない。そして、「防衛費ＧＤＰ比２％」は前倒し達成され、「３・５％」にむかう。
高市政権が打ち出した「総合経済対策」の三本柱のひとつは「防衛力・外交力強化」であり、軍事産業の戦略的育成が始まり、武器輸出の野放図解禁が目前だ。
スパイ防止法、日本版ＣＩＡ設置など国民監視・統合体制を政権は打ち上げてはばからない。
安保・外交に比べ税や社会保障分野では、質的な転換は見えにくい。しかしここ数年間、野党は部分的要求で分断され、所得再分配など大局的な観点は国会で希薄となった。
そして、「現役世代」と「高齢者」の対立や、外国人「優遇」への反発が煽られ、参政党が急伸する異様な世相となった。高市政権の医療制度改悪に、高齢者・病弱者切り捨ての意図が透ける。
期待に応える共同
参院選で私たちは社民党・新社会党・市民共同を担い、社民党の政党要件を辛うじて維持し、共産党は後退した。しかし、多くの人々が世の異変に危機感を抱き、非戦・非武装を掲げる政治勢力の結束に期待していることも実感できた。
社民党、共産党などの連携の機運も生まれた。内閣支持率は高く、「嫌けんちゅう中」世論は高まっており、大きな前進は望むべくもない。しかし、心ある人々の期待に応える共同こそが展望である。予想される解散総選挙は、９条改憲をめぐる前哨戦となろう。
英訳版↓
No. 1432 Looking Back Year 2025
We, the New Socialist Party members, have worked strenuously to make the Peace Constitution be practiced in the people’s daily life since the foundation of the party in 1996. In the year 2025, however, events have taken place visibly that we fear most gravely. What does this reality mean? Where can we find hopes for the future?
WHERE CAN WE FIND HOPES IN THIS UNCERTAIN AGE?
As boiled water changes into steam at the boiling point, history, too, sees a qualitative turning point.
The year 2025 has witnessed crucial changes in the post-war history: in the Upper House election in July the opposition parties, which are more rightist than the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), have grown rapidly and the LDP, the traditional conservative, has allied with the rightwing party in the coalition government. This is the first historic event seen in the politics of Japan after WWII.
Deterioration has proceeded excessively
The political phenomena today show, too, the outcomes of 30 years of history after the dissolution of the Socialist Party and the General Council of Trade Unions of Japan. Since 2015, when the new national security agenda were legislated, the government has encouraged to prepare for wars. Three documents for national security were enacted in 2022, and since then relevant bills have been approved, sometimes, unanimously, incorporating the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP), the biggest opposition party. Deterioration in politics has gone beyond a certain limit, which, in turn, impacts on the electorate. This fact was reflected in the July election results.
As you know, China has reacted sternly to the statement made by Premier Takaichi; this shows a fact that the current Japan’s military build-up policy based on the deterrence against the Asian nation, has exceeded a border line, too. Premier is unable, now, to ‘retract’ her account, because that means she is to weaken ‘deterrence’ capabilities against China. Her government is to achieve a target of 2% of GDP for military spending prior to the scheduled fiscal, being hasty to attain up to 3.5%.
One of the three poles contained in the recent Comprehensive Economic Policies is to boost ‘capabilities of defense and diplomacy’, which means a beginning of strategic support of military industries, and comes soon lifting of bans on exporting weapons. Her government is to enact an anti-espionage law and establish a Japanese-version CIA. It is, without any hesitation, to set up surveillance and control networks against people.
Besides national security and diplomacy, qualitative changes are not seen perceptibly in terms of taxes and public services. For the past years the opposition political parties have been split due to their minute assertions over demands. Thus, lawmakers are not keen on a broader perspective in the Diet debates.
In addition, confrontation has been produced between the working generation and the elderly, and hostility has been stirred up against ‘preferential treatment’ to foreigners. As a result, a party like the Sansei-to, or the Party of Do It Yourself, has gained popularity, though that is bizarre. The Takaichi government has worsend the healthcare program, which shows an intention to abandon the elderly and weak people.
A joint struggle is a hope of people
In the July election we have cooperated with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as well as citizens groups: this struggle has barely maintained the SDP’s status as a political party (over 2% of votes). The Japanese Communist Party (JCP) has retreated. We have learned that people expect to see a solid political pole which declares No War! and No-armed status of the nation, because they are uncertain over odd changes in the society.
Simultaneously, a political mood has been created in which the SDP and the JCP work together. Currently the government enjoys a high support rate, while a negative feeling to China prevails in the society. Therefore, it is hard for us to advance boldly at the moment. But to respond to hopes of sincere people in the joint struggle is a future perspective.
A general election is foreseen after dissolution of the Cabinet. It will become preliminaries over amendment of Article Nine of the Constitution (which prohibits a war).
December 24, 2025