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.