Op-Ed Contributors

SDP leaves Japan govt with a message

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-06-03 07:49

Japan's political parties are yet to master the art of policy cooperation. They are not good at working out agreements with other parties on specific policy proposals and revising related bills as needed through talks based on various forms of cooperation.

The question now is whether the SDP's decision will lead to the formation of new rules for such flexible cooperation.

It is the DPJ that is facing the need to change its way of thinking. The party has taken many strong actions in its efforts to push its key policy initiatives, including a radical reform of the nation's postal service, through the Diet or the parliament. If it continues using its huge majority in the Lower House to get bills passed by forced votes, it cannot hope to hold constructive policy talks with other parties.

The SDP's departure has reduced the ruling coalition's majority in the Upper House to a razor-thin margin. If it loses its control of the Upper House in the upcoming election amid evaporating public support, the DPJ may start political maneuverings to regain a majority.

If possible opposition control of the Upper House leads to a return to politics focused on grabbing power through whatever means necessary, as symbolized by the aborted agreement between the LDP and the DPJ on a "grand coalition", there can be no progress in the nation's democracy.

Establishing transparent and fair rules for cooperation among parties would radically change the ways the government and the Diet operate.

The Asahi Shimbun

(China Daily 06/03/2010 page9)