Party Politics In Japan—On Course for a Meltdown?
The Dangers of Mobocracy
HANDŌ In a two-party system, where control of government is the be-all and end-all, parties are sometimes inclined to enlist the cooperation of powerful forces in other sectors. Before World War II they got cozy with the military and became engulfed in the tide of militarism. As Mr. Hosaka pointed out, today the power they’re courting is so-called public opinion—or ultimately the media, which shapes public opinion.
MATSUMOTO I couldn’t agree more, and one of the most blatant manifestations of this trend is “TV politics.” We’ve reached the point where politicians simply can’t “sell” themselves unless they appear frequently enough on TV.
HOSAKA This is another issue that calls into question the mettle of our politicians. If they don’t wake up to the dangers inherent in this state of affairs, the people could ultimately turn their backs on parliamentary democracy. Fortunately we don’t have the kind of military establishment that existed before World War II, but even so, if we allow this kind of political disarray to continue, the nation’s vitality will just continue to ebb.
MATSUMOTO Frankly, I think the Japanese people themselves are being put to the test.
HANDŌ In the final analysis, our elected politicians reflect the inner quality of our people. If that quality is high, good leaders will emerge as a matter of course. We can’t allow the state of party politics today to lead us to tragedy, as a similar situation did in the years before World War II. What the Japanese people need to do now is look at things calmly and objectively and ask themselves, from a long-range perspective, what kind of political system is best for Japan.
Translated from “Nihon ni ni-dai-seitō sei wa muri,” Chūō Kōron, August 2010, pp. 70–79; abridged by about one-third. (Courtesy of Chūō Kōron Shinsha) [August 2010]
Handō Kazutoshi
Graduated from the University of Tokyo, where he majored in Japanese literature. Has been editor in chief of the weekly Shūkan Bunshun and the monthly Bungei Shunjū. Is now active as a writer. Author of Shōwa shi (A History of the Shōwa Era), Bakumatsu shi (The Final Years of the Tokugawa Shōgunate), and other works.
Hosaka Masayasu
Graduated from Dōshisha University, where he majored in sociology. Has worked at a publishing house. Is now a nonfiction writer. Also active as a researcher of modern Japanese history. Author of Tōjō Hideki to tennō no jidai (The Days of Tōjō Hideki and the Emperor), Shōwa rikugun no kenkyū (A Study of the Shōwa-Era Army), and other works.
Matsumoto Ken’ichi
Did his doctoral studies in Japanese literature at Hōsei University. Is now a critic and a professor at Reitaku University. Author of Ronpyō, Kita Ikki (Commentary on Kita Ikki) and Kaigaisen no rekishi (A History of Coastlines) and other works.
