Ｗe have the vote for the House of Councilors tomorrow. Nevertheless, the mass media won't broadcast programs about it if not nothing. There are a lot of serious problems such as sustainability of the public pension, joining the coalition of the willing in the Mid East, elucidation of numerous scandals by the government and PM Abe himself and so forth. They say, since the ruling parties depend on the organized votes by the workers in the major industries for LDPJ and by the believers of Soka Gakkai for the Komeito, the government has ordered the mass media, especially, TV to restrict political debates in their programs. The government is also characterized by authoritareanism. It has the principle to make people rely on but not to let them know about what is going on.
A few days ago, when PM made election address in Sapporo as well as in Ohtsu, there were a few opponents who shouted against him or held a sign asking PM if he was for restarting the nuclear power plants or not. The police has excluded them out of the place. It is not based on any law. Years ago, the supreme court has decreed that jeering or hooting, so far as they are not too loud, is not obstruction of an election campaign. Excluding the opponents was clearly an abuse of police power. The same incident has occurred at two different places at the same time. It must mean the central police office has ordered that action to the regional police guarding PM making political address. It is a preliminary or the ealiest sign of authoritareanism in politics, isn't it?
The government is aiming at the constitutional amendment once they get 2/3 of the seats at both Houses after this election. The main issue, so far as I knew from the draft of the constitution the LDPJ has published, is introduction of emegency clause into the constitution. It enables the cabinet issue cabinet orders equivalent to the ordinary laws without diet questioning and answering. The emergency situation is defined quite vaguely. It could be prolinged as long as the cabinet wants. It is comparable to the Enabling Act with which Nazis has destroyed the Weimar constitution most democratic at that time in the world.
The biggest problem in the politics is that young people are not interested in politics or, with superficial knowledge in politics, approve this ultra right government. There must be some different reasons for this issue. I suspect they are in a kind of nihilism for the politics. For example, they often say anything won't be changed if they vote in the election. They won't believe in any social movement which could develop reformation. In our young days, the youth generation was the front runner in such movement. Political age has gone. It seems there is only nihilism in politics left among young people. No quick solution or prescription for this problem. Maybe, we, the older ones, should go on movement for change in the society and let them, the younger generation, know it is possible.
A bright side of this election campaign is that a new group named Reiwa-Shinsengumi has been founded by a young politician of the House of Councilors. This news from Reuter introduces its movement;here. They have chosen the candidates from those who have struggled at various situations in the society or who have lived as handicapped under stigma. The candidates are all from sites of social issues. Two handicapped are supposed to get the seat prior to the others if they get enough voters in the country. It has amazed me a lot how they selected the candidates. It is a real paradigm shift in selection. The founder, Taroh Yamamoto, says let's make the society where we are allowed to live without any worry about economy etc. That also sounds unique and attractive to me as well as many others who think the present government won't work for us but for only the rich and the major enterprizes.
Almost all of the result of the vote will be determined by midnight tomorrow. I would closely watch what is resulted in from the election.
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