Weekly Topics/Archive
December 2012
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Yesterday people went to the polls for the 46th general election for the
House
of Representatives and ballots were counted on the same day.
This time, the election means the public verdic on government by the ruling
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) during 3 years and 3 monthes after regime
change.
The major focuses of the election were on whether the DPJ can maintain the
current regime, whether the Liberal Democratic Party(LDP) can march back
into
power and how many parliamentary seats the third force increases.
It produced dramatic results.
As you can see on the newspaper headlines, the DPJ won a landslide victory
by
a majority, the DPJ suffered a crushing defeat and the third force like
Japan
Restoration Party and Your Party made major gains.
I've never seen such a change in the past political world.
The President of the LDP, Shinzo Abe (right) decorating the election winner's
name
out of candidates with a rose |
Off course, I also went to vote at polling station in an elementary school
gym near my home.
But this time my voting behavior was different from usual.
It is that I voted for each candidate from the different parties in the
single-seat district and proportional-representation district.
It's because I was motivated by the appearance of the third forces with
some advanced
policies for political reform.
Off course, it is quite out of question to vote for such party as backslide
into antiquated politics.
My stances on the current political battle are as below.
I agree with consumption tax hike in integrated reform of social security
and taxation.
In economic policy, I essentially agree that Japan joins free trade talks
on Trans-Pacific
Partnership (TPP).
Furthermore, in energy policy, I endorse breaking with nuclear power generation
after
30 years and then conversion to renewable energy sources.
And so, in the single-seat district, I voted for a candidate of current regime that has
the same political stance as me.
He narrowly lost the election like many other DPJ's candidates but was only just elected
in proportional-representation district.
On the other hand, in the proportional-representation district，I voted for a candidate
of one of the third forces that have similar political stance to me.
It was my voting behavior after much wavering.
However, it made major gains.
Incidentally, in 2003, the novel prize winner, professor Yamanaka got a
research fund
of 3 million yen in 5 years with support of Japan Science and Technology
Agency and
then started his study of ips cells.
According to a hearing officer who interviewed him for the payment of the
fund at that
time, he felt the study couldn't go well but he get overwhelmed with his
power.
I was of the same mindset in this election.
At any rate, the LDP which won the majority of seats and New Komeito will
secure
more than two-thirds of seats in new Lower House by thier alliance.
So, they can make laws as they like.
I hope the third forces will fulfill a function of internal check for them
in the Lower House.
I didn't expect Japanese people have a impatient national character.
As soon as politicians and their party betray the public trust, people
serve them with the
same sauce.
It may imply a warning to not only political world but also enterprises
and general public.
Once again I rediscovered Japanese people's soundness.
[Note] gains in the election ；選挙で躍進，Lower House ；衆議院
catastrophic ； 壊滅的な，polls for general election ； 総選挙の投票
the House of Representatives ；衆議院、 public verdic on ；に関する国民の審判
government by Democratic Party of Japan(DPJ)；民主党(DPJ)政治
ruling ；政権与党の、 regime change；政権交代、 current regime；現政権
count ballots on the same day；即日開票する,parliamentary seat ；議席
march back into power ； 政権を奪還する，third force；第3 極, 第3 勢力
win a landslide victory ；圧勝する、by a majority ； 過半数で
suffer a crushing defeat ；大敗を喫する, crushing ；圧倒的な,決定的な
Japan Restoration Party；日本維新の会、 Your Party ； みんなの党
make major gains ； 大躍進する、polling station ； 投票所
vote for 〜 ； 〜に投票する、 single-seat district ； 小選挙区(一人区)
proportional-representation district ； 比例代表区、 political reform ；政治改革
it is quite out of question to do 〜 ；〜するなんて論外です
backslide into 〜 ； 〜に後戻りする、antiquated ； 時代遅れの, 古くさい
political battle ； 政治論争、consumption tax hike ； 消費税増税
integrated reform of social security and taxation； 税と社会保障の一体改革
taxation ； 課税、 free trade talks ； 自由貿易交渉
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) ； 環太平洋経済連携交渉
endorse ；(主張など) を支持する, 承認する、 break with 〜；〜を捨てる,と決別する
breaking with nuclear power generation ； 脱原発
renewable energy sources ； 再生可能エネルギ−源
narrowly lose an election ； 選挙に僅差で落選する，only just ；かろうじて
after much wavering ； さんざん迷った挙句、 make major gains ；大躍進する
incidentally ； 余談だが, ついでに言えば、
Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) ； 科学技術振興機構
ips cell ； ips 細胞 <人工多能性幹細胞> (induced pluripotent stem cell)
hearing officer ； 審査官、 get overwhelmed with 〜 ； 〜に圧倒される
be of the same mindset ； 同じ心境である
win the majority of seats ；議席の過半数を獲得する、 New Komeito ；公明党
two-thirds of seats ； 2/3の議席，alliance ；連立，同盟
fulfill a function ； 機能を発揮する，internal check ； 内部けん制
impatient national character ； 性急な国民性
betray the public trust ； 国民の信頼を裏切る， general public ； 一般社会
serve someone with the same sauce ； しっぺ返しをする
imply； を暗示する，soundness ； 健全性
Japanese Diary / No.501−2012.12.17 / 「躍進と壊滅」
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