Japan sees fifth Prime Minister in three years

Japan sees fifth Prime Minister in three years
Naoto Kan has become the fifth prime minister in three years in the second biggest economy of the globe, Japan. He defeated little –known Shinji Taruto, chairman of the lower house environmental committee, by a vote of 291-129 among Democratic Party of Japan members of Parliament. Kan, a former health minister who got his start in politics as a grassroots activist, has forged an image as fiscal conservative and occasional central bank critics since assuming the finance post in January. Unlike his recent predecessor Hatoyama, kan does not hail from a political dynasty. That could appeal to voters of leaders born with silver spoons in their mouths who proved inept at governing. He got his start in politics as a grassroots student activist, later joining small political parties before helping to found the then-opposition Democratic Party in 1996. His first speech after taking charge identified his biggest challenge ending two decades of stagnation. For the last twenty years, the Japanese economy has been at a standstill. Growth has stopped. Young people can’t find jobs. This is not a natural phenomenon. It resulted from policy mistakes.
Hatoyam ,the recent predecessor of Naoto, led the Democratic Party of Japan to a historic election victory in September in 2009, ousting the party which had led Japan for more than half a century. But Hatoyama resigned last week after barley nine months in the office. His credibility was tarnished by corruption scandals within his administration and his fate finally sealed after just nine months in office by claims of his capitulation to US pressure over the location of US military bases in Japan. “since last years election, I tried to change politics in which the people of Japan would be the main characters’ but his effort were not understood “ mainly because of my failings “his decision to keep the unpopular base on the island, despite strong local opposition, caused a split in his three-party coalition, with the small Social Democratic Party quitting the government .Hataoyama had faced growing pressure from within his own Democratic Party of Japan for him to step down to revive the party’s fortunes ahead of an election for the upper house of parliament expected on July 11.With tears in his eyes, Hatoyama told party legislators that he and Ichiro Ozawa, the party secretary general seen by many as the real power behind Hatoyama ‘s administration, would both resign. In order to revitalize our party, we need to bring back a thoroughly clean Democratic party. I would like to ask your co-operation” he said.
He had taken office pledging to create a ‘ more equal’ relationship with the US and promised to move the marine base off the island which hosts more than half the 47000 US troops stationed in Japan under a 50-year old security agreement. US military officials argue that it is essential the base remain on Okinawa because its helicopters and air assets support marine infantry units based there . Moving the facility off the island they say could, slow the marines co-ordinate and respond in times of emergency. Last week Htoyam said the would go along with a 2006 agreement to move the base to a northern part of Okinawa, infuriating residents who have long complained about noise levels, pollution and crime associated with troops from the base and want it off the island entirely.
Hatoyama has brought into question the competence of the entire party, the slick haired soft spoken Hataoyam who grew up in a well-to-do family of politicians, may have grown too out of touch with everyday people and their economic hardships. Hatoyama’s dramatic rise and fall has also thrown the US base issue-and Japan’s security relationship with the US-into limbo. The Pentagon is demanding that Japan adheres to a 2006 base agreement to keep the Futenma air base on Okinawa, while Okinawans are just as adamant that the base be moved somewhere else in Japan. However, inept Hatoyama’s performance as prime minster, many observers say his administration was needlessly undercut by Washington. One the highlights of the Democrats reforms, his administration launched a major review of government spending by holding court-like hearings, where government bureaucrats had to account for their budgets spending by holding court-like hearings, where government bureaucrats had to account for their budgets in front of live TV cameras and public spectators.He also won praise from environmentalists, but ire from Japanese business when he announced at the United Nations last September that he promised to cut Japan’s greenhouse emission 25 percent by 2020. Japanese industries were up in arms warning that the move could serve a low to the frail economy, but the move was also heralded by many as bold and forward –looking.
Hatoyama, a professor-like millionaire with a Ph.D. in engineering from Stanford University, was the fourth Japanese prime minister till last week. Viewed as somewhat aloof and eccentricity by the Japanese public, he earned the nickname ‘alien’. He was even pilloried for his fashion sense particularly a hideous multicolored checked shirt he wore to a barbecue in May. The shirt looks like it’s from the 80’s or 90s, one Japanese critic spluttered and his ideas and philosophy are equally old. Hatoyama, the grandson of a prime minister, acknowledged in a news conference broadcast nation wide that he had disappointed the country with his handling of the Futenma issue, as well as the funding scandal. “I was taking up many important efforts to make peoples lives well. It is extremely sad that no on is listening to me anymore” a teary Hatoyama said at a news conference. He continued, “ That is all due to my own failings. “Public support for the current government has slid to 17%, down four percentage points from a previous pOll two weeks ago according to the latest survey by the asshai. Disapproval ratings jumped from 70 to 64percent.
Since the charismatic Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi steeped down in 2006 at the end of his term, Japan has had four leaders resign in the span of four years. Naoto Kan, the present prime minister, became Japan’s most popular politician for a time when as health minster in 1996, he forced bureaucrats to expose a scandal over HIV-tainted products. May his promises such as economic reform focus on social welfare and smooth ties with the US become successful.


Md. Masum Billah
Senior Manager: BRAC Education Program, PACE
Phone: 9355253(home), 01714-091431(cell)
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com