What do the Japanese people think of politics these days? Perhaps, the leaders of the government, the ruling coalition and the Democratic Party of Japan do not know the answer to that question. The ruling coalition seems intent on only one thing: keeping the present administration in power. The government's response to the worldwide stock market meltdown has been completely dull.
The opposition DPJ is solely focused on getting the Fukuda cabinet to step down and dissolve the Diet. It has lost sight of the big picture as it doggedly pursues a far-off and single-minded goal.
The public is looking for solutions that lower taxes, preserve autonomy for local governments and revive those local economies. But the government, the ruling parties and the opposition just ignore the public's voice. The executives of the leading political parties are separating themselves from the populace.
All they are interested in is the tentative gasoline tax rate. Of course, this is an important issue, but when considered as part of the overall national political agenda the country faces, it is relatively minor. Japanese politics should be preparing for a large conversion as the world goes through a period of flux and the US braces for political change.
Ever since Junichiro Koizumi took power in Japan, the country has been following in line with the Bush administration and promoting a new liberal economic policy. Even though Bush's path has hit a dead end in the US, the ruling coalition marches on.
Japanese politics stands at a crossroads. Either continue down the path that Bush and Koizumi created or forge a new one. The ruling coalition and the opposition DPJ must respond to this issue, but right now they are avoiding it.
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda has no vision to offer the Japanese people. Ichiro Ozawa of the DPJ also has nothing to offer. All they can muster is to either form a grand coalition or dissolve the Diet. The politics of Fukuda and Ozawa are void of vision and replete with bargaining.
In the US, the country is wrapped up in the ongoing political race for president between the Democrats and the Republicans. The debate is about America's future. As the Japanese watch this on TV, they feel the disappointment of being stuck with Fukuda and Ozawa, who both lack vision and a sense of the big picture and spend their days bargaining over trifles.
Our political leaders need to realize their mistakes and shed their old skin.