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| Paliamentary Building, Tokyo, Japan |
Many have attributed the win to the disappointment among the people there on DJP, which touted the "change" at the time of 2009 election. The economic downturn, accumulated debts and resultant tax hikes, and its pro-China stance had angered many who cares both the nation and human rights. The standing Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda had steered its policies to the right and he was re-elected. The leftist former Prime Minister Naoto Kan was not, and had to be nominated to the seat by the party. The previous Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama quit politics. Indeed the verdict is very clear; we did not like them. The party selected the wrong people. And those wrong people are disgusting. We do not need those people.
There is the sense of joy as LDP won the race in Japan. Everything was wrong from the starter. Populist leftist agenda. Spending money to whoever complains. Resorting to tax hikes to those whose voice is the least.
The election was the verdict of people there on many issues, in particular the consumption tax, nuclear power plants, and TPP, which they debated on TV and online. Neither of the issues seemed to have deterred people from voting from LDP, which did not make clear comments on them. Rather, LDP has made it clear that it will focus more on national security issues, including of territorial disputes with South Korea and China.
The LDP's leader Shizo Abe, the former Prime Minister, is thus labeled as hawkish. At the same time, many have predicted the nation will pursue peace, stability, and prosperity.
The big win for the LDP should give it a mandate to do what the people voted for: the nation they can be proud of, as a advanced nation that can have a say. Let us hope that the win will not ruin LDP. Let us hope that the loss will not ruin DJP.