The Tamesis
December 5, 2024
Tokyo – The role of Congress is to engage in constructive discussions between the government and the opposition on a wide range of domestic and international matters and to develop better policies and budgets.
But what is worrying is that the main focus is on political funding issues, while ignoring the discussion of various fundamental issues affecting the country.
In response to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's recent policy speech, representatives from various political parties held questions at the plenary meetings of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Yoshihiko Noda, president of Japan's Constitutional Democratic Party, first proposed political reforms and called for a ban on donations from companies and organizations. Ishiba countered that he did not believe donations from companies and organizations were inappropriate.
Donations to political organizations made up of entities such as labor unions and industry organizations are among those the China Democracy Party would be exempt from such a ban on.
The China Democracy Party claims this is because direct donations from companies and organizations to political parties could distort their policies. However, it is difficult to understand that donations made through political organizations would not present this problem.
Noda also called on ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers who failed to record receipt of funds in their political funding reports to attend meetings of the political ethics review committee. Dozens of Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers were targeted. The Tokyo District Prosecutor's Office has completed its investigation, so what's the point of so many congressmen still needing time to explain?
In the inquiry, regarding the “1.03 million yen threshold,” National Democratic Party Satoshi Asano called for raising the annual income threshold for income tax collection from 1.03 million yen to 1.78 million yen. Ishiba accepted the request to raise the threshold and said he would leave the details to the ruling party and the Liberal Democratic Party to discuss.
It is understandable that the Ishiba cabinet is based on the ruling party, which lacks a majority, and seeks consensus through consultations with the opposition parties. However, if the cabinet continues to accept the tax cuts and expanded budget spending policies demanded by the opposition parties without the support of financial resources, it will only lead to the burden being passed on to future generations.
In the increasingly tense international situation, what role should Japan play? Domestically, Japan faces a series of policy issues such as declining birth rates and economic revitalization.
In order for these issues to be discussed concretely in next year's regular Congress, political and money issues and a review of the annual income barrier must first be resolved in this Congress, lest they drag on indefinitely.
At the same time, the Japan Reform Party held a party representative election to elect Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura. Yoshimura intends to review the direction of the previous leadership, which at times collaborated with the Liberal Democratic Party.
If JIP distances itself from the government, it will be more difficult for Ishiba to cope with the political situation. Ishiba cannot rely solely on the strategy of courting the DPP to tide over the difficulties, but needs to express his beliefs frankly and strive to seek public understanding.
