Thursday, September 10, 2009

Enigmatic coalition on a Socratic path



Wax and smiles... for how long? Yukio Hatoyama, center,
leader of Japan's new ruling party Democratic Party of Japan,
People's New Party chief Shizuka Kamei, left, and Social
Democrat leader Mizuho Fukushima shake hands.

"A system of morality which is based on relative emotional
values is a mere illusion, a thoroughly vulgar conception
which has nothing sound in it and nothing true."

Socrates *

Well, this was nearly 2500 years ago...

Emotion and excitement appeared on every faces at the
Japanese Diet last night. Not only about the coalition that
is to be in charge from September 16th if approved by Diet.

A coalition, why? DPJ doesn't need a coalition to control
Japan's lower house of parliament as they have total majority
(308 seats)

"It will work until 2010 election" I am told by sources. So,
a lot of checkmate games until next Upper House election.

Mission is to gather the citizens middle and middle poor
class' support to win Upper House election in 2010. Then
tough realignment. With professionalization of political
forces within DPJ, which means integration of minor parties
and forced exclusion of opponents (the Ozawa hard line
style) in worst cases.

Prior to this, the final kill is now coming, Ozawa is
preparing a new study of constituencies and this also is the
reason why he allied with the JSP. Target? All LDP areas
with no DPJ "solid" candidate will be ejected by an
experienced socialists or one assassin Godfathered by a DPJ's
VIP.

Queries...

-One unknown fact is the bureaucracy.

-One other is what Mrs. Fukushima will do. Fukushima will
ask a lot and it will come with a cabinet work and she won't
give up her hard people's support commitments. But what
about Kamei, what is he doing here? He, the friend of Peru
jailed ex president Alberto Fujimori.

-Also unknown but predictable, how is DPJ going to deal with
the newcomers on Japanese political stage, the so called
Ozawa young forces, mostly good minded women politicians?


In the meantime... at the LDP and Komeito... "ZZZZZ...."

They were attacking each other, wondering, moaning, de-
ambulating in the Diet Corridors and offices trying to woo
contributors and sponsors asking if they still have a future
in current political configuration. First problem is
political subsidies. The answer is "no". Hard days ahead.
Conservatives, and whatever Komeito political line remains,
might have to work on themselves and re-invent their
political platform, ingeniously. Get back to work!

Of course, the coalition is trumpeting satisfaction in spite
of abyssal political divergences. But how Hatoyama's
Democratic Party will function after forming a coalition
government with the two smaller groups, despite differences
on foreign policy and on the presence of U.S. Marines on
Okinawa for instance? Petulance or firm politics?

It is said that "the United States wants Japan to continue the
Indian Ocean mission in the refueling of foreign navies' war
vessels, which has been in place since 2001 in support of
military US led operations in and around Afghanistan." I was
recently told Hatoyama could freeze this refueling mission
and could pay cash to the international force. Checkbook
diplomacy...?

But Yukio Hatoyama, suggested today there is no change in his
policy to end the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s refueling
mission in the Indian Ocean, and commenting on Washington’s
calls for its continuation, he told us: ‘‘We haven’t been asked!’’

Oh... really?


* Socrates (469–399 bc), ancient Athenian philosopher, as
represented in the writings of his disciple Plato, engaged in
dialogue with others in an attempt to reach understanding and
ethical concepts by exposing and dispelling errors (the
Socratic method). He was not the proponent of a philosophy
but an individual with a method of undermining the fabric of
Athenian society. He openly objected to the democracy that
ran Athens during his adult life. It was not only Athenian
democracy : Socrates objected to any form of government that
did not conform to his ideal of a perfect republic led by
philosophers. Charged with introducing strange gods and
corrupting the young, he committed suicide as required.

✍ Nota Bene : Kamei listed Fujimori, who is claimed as having a
Japanese citizenship background, in the 2007 Upper House
election (and lost it all of course). Bad choice. Fujimori
is linked to Vladimiro Montesinos, who served as his
intelligence chief. Bad bad choice : Alberto Fujimori had
received his second prison sentence of the year mid July 2009
in Lima, Peru, after admitting he gave his former spy chief
$15 million. Fujimori was sentenced to seven and a half
years in prison for paying this bonus out of the government
treasury. After Fujimori admitted paying the money to
Vladimiro Montesinos, his attorneys argued since the money
was paid back, no crime was committed. However, the Peruvian
supreme court ordered Fujimori to pay the equivalent of $1
million restitution to the state. Prior to this, in April,
Fujimori was sentenced to 25 years in prison for authorizing
a death squad that killed civilians. Fujimori was president
of Peru from 1990 to 2000. Improper enough was to associate
with a man like Fujimori who is in jail for crimes, when one
knows Kamei's campaign to put an end to death penalty in
Japan.

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