Okumura Jun is back with two excellent overviews of the current state of the race and some cracking analysis about the potential fallout of this election.
- Will the DPJ Win a Simple Majority in the Upper House?
- The Upper House Elections and Some Political Implications
As for me, some political perspective...a propos of potential outbreaks of hyperventilation in the press.
In the Mediterranean and in Mitteleuropa, when a government proposes stringent fiscal measures, this in a desperate effort to combat exploding debt and deficits, the people respond with general strikes and marches with flags and banners whilst masked radicals toss cobbles, injure police officers and destroy public and private property.
In Japan, in the face of similar threats from the government, the Cabinet's popularity rating declines 10% whilst the percentage of persons saying they will be voting for the ruling party in Sunday's House of Councillors proportional vote plunges by 2%.
Oh tell me, where one may find the homeland of sweet reason and civilization?
Perhaps the Japanese body politic could do with a bit more fire and strife. As it is, the lack of conflict seems to dampen any ability to actually change the system.
ReplyDeleteJanne: My conjecture is that the lack of animal spirits in the body politic reflects a more general ennui that pervades Japanese society. Somewhere along the line, we had violent civil disobedience leached out of mainstream, which by itself is a welcome turn of events. I’m still waiting to see if we can turn the switch on without opening the proverbial Pandora’s box.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words, MTC. In case you weren’t aware at the time, I got the order of voting wrong. The more general point about the potential influence of voting order is still relevant, though.