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Never Give Up on Japan
Anxiety about the future and a sense of impotence is now enveloping Japan. If we continue on in this way, Japan will not change. In order to realise a politics that properly responds to the changing times, and to return to a politics that looks at matters from the viewpoint of the people and senses the feelings of the people, we the Democratic Party of Japan will implement this manifesto. This is our prescription for transforming Japan.
Do you feel content now? Are you worried about the future? Many Japanese are tormented by anxiety and a sense of impotence, wondering "What's going to happen from now on?" Our society is also described as one which fails to instill hope in its young people. Why is that the case? What should politicians do to work toward the future we should be entitled to?
Politics that can respond to the changing times
The greatest problem is that politics and administration have failed to respond to the drastically changing times. For example, the decreasing birth rate and the aging of society. In particular, the arrival of a time when the population starts to shrink rapidly will have an historical impact on Japanese society. However, the pension system, child-rearing support provisions and the like are not geared up to respond to this change. The economy has become globalised, and new competitors and rich markets have appeared in Asia. These phenomena will have a big impact on Japan in the future. However, Japan has failed to take advantages of this opportunity. Our national consciousness is also changing. The era where people looked simply for material wealth has ended, and we are now in an era where people have a variety of ideas as to what is important, and what kind of life they want to lead. However, politics does not respect the individual. Despite these changes in the larger environment surrounding Japan and in people's mentality, the reality still remains that Liberal Democratic Party politics cannot escape from its old-style inward-looking mindset with its reliance on the continuance of high economic growth. A new government that sets clear priorities on those tasks to be carried out by politicians, based on an accurate perception of the times, is necessary.
Return politics to the hands of the people
Another problem facing us now is that the political structure has not changed. In these changing times, we must have politics where politicians chosen by the people should exert leadership and use the bureaucrats effectively. However, a structure in which bureaucrats control politics, that is a centralized government, or bureaucrat-led government, has been a significant feature of the Japanese political system since the Meiji Period, and nothing has changed in this right up until the present day. Furthermore, it is a serious problem that this government has just recently further increased such abuses as the collusive structure and "ministries are everything; the nation is nothing" attitude, and become further divorced from the mentality of the Japanese people. Now is the time when we must bring about a change of government in order to form an unfettered new style of government that can see things from the people's viewpoint.
"Nippon Sasshin" (Transform Japan)
This manifesto is a result of policy discussions held both inside and outside the Democratic Party of Japan since its formation, and explains in detail what would be implemented and in what way, when a Democratic Party of Japan administration is realised. Concrete policies for radically changing Japan are included. If we continue on in this way Japan will not change. Anxiety about the future will just continue to increase rapidly. However, we will never give up on Japan. This manifesto itself is our prescription for changing Japan. By realising a change of government, and implementing this manifesto we will be able to transform Japan, and open up new vistas to the future.
A Choice for Japan
I am firmly convinced that Japan is a wonderful country, and that the Japanese people are capable of making coolheaded choices. Whether to continue on in the same way with the old-style LDP politics, or to take on a new challenge and create a new kind of politics by changing the government: that is the choice facing each and every one of the Japanese people in this election.
Believe in the People
I have the determination and resolve to exercise firm leadership as the first Prime Minister from the post-war generation. The Democratic Party of Japan has assembled talented persons who share the same feelings as the public, look at things from the same perspective and have the will to change Japan. At last an election that will offer a real choice of administrations has started. We ask you to allow the DPJ to carry out true reform. It is my heartfelt wish that the Japanese people make a choice that will not be viewed as a mistake by future generations.
Katsuya Okada
President, The Democratic Party of Japan
August 30, 2005 |
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