Editorial
Time running out for Aso in delays to upcoming election
Prime Minister Taro Aso has remarked that he will dissolve the House of Representatives for a snap general election "in the not so distant future." His remark has been widely interpreted by legislators from both ruling and opposition blocs as hinting at a dissolution of the chamber before the July 12 Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election for an Aug. 2 general election.
At the same time, the prime minister is considering replacing top officials of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and a number of Cabinet members, apparently with the upcoming general election in mind.
The Mainichi Shimbun has repeatedly insisted that the powerful Lower House should be dissolved sooner rather than later -- to ask the public if they support the administration, despite the string of prime ministers since the last Lower House election in September 2005.
The period shortly before the metropolitan assembly election will be the last chance for Aso to dissolve the Lower House at his own discretion, albeit long overdue. He should promptly dissolve the chamber without hesitation and give voters an opportunity to select the next administration.
Prime Minister Aso and the ruling coalition, comprised of the LDP and Komeito, are in serious situation. The latest survey conducted by the Mainichi Shimbun shows that the approval rating for the Aso Cabinet has fallen below 20 percent again, and the support rating for the LDP is well below that for the largest opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ).
Some LDP legislators have launched a petition demanding that the party presidential election, scheduled for September, be brought forwards, because they fear that they cannot win the general election under the Aso's leadership. If the LDP loses the metropolitan assembly race, calls urging Aso to resign will likely grow much louder.
However, are LDP members trying to evade their responsibility for electing Aso its leader and prime minister last autumn, and attempting to replace their "face?" If so, they should be criticized for solely attempting to raise their chance of winning the upcoming election. They should not be allowed to replace the prime minister merely for personal reasons.
The top LDP election strategist has recently asked Miyazaki Gov. Hideo Higashikokubaru to run in the Lower House race on its ticket, apparently attempting to take advantage of his personal popularity to win the election. However, the governor has stated that his support depends on being nominated a candidate for the LDP presidency, and a distrusting public perceives the LDP as having abandoned its pride.
The prime minister also appears to lack in confidence, as shown by his recent complaint that that important bills -- such as one on inspections of North Korean vessels and those to revise the Law on Organ Transplantation -- have not been passed into law and that he does not know how the DPJ will respond to them.
Some ruling coalition politicians are voicing opposition to dissolution of the Lower House before the metropolitan assembly race. Therefore, the prime minister made such remarks in an apparent bid to blame opposition parties for delaying deliberations on the bills if he cannot make up his mind to dissolve the chamber.
However, opposition parties have been demanding that Aso dissolve the Lower House for a long time now. If the prime minister clarifies the timing of the dissolution, deliberations on these important bills will obviously speed up.
Prime Minister Aso has postponed calling a general election while saying, "I'll never escape." Now is the time for him to make up his mind. Needless to say, the ruling coalition should not try to avoid an early election any more.
(Mainichi Japan) June 27, 2009