The LDP goes it alone | This week in Japanese politics

The coalition fails to produce a reform proposal, the government looks at decarbonization plans, and Japan feuds with South Korea and China ahead of the trilateral summit

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Talks between the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Kōmeitō on political reform legislation failed to bridge their differences, resulting in the LDP’s submitting its own bill. Kishida’s potential rivals have begun maneuvering, but no one has taken a first step. Meanwhile, the Kishida government has begun work on a new green industrial strategy and the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry is deliberating on a new basic energy plan. LDP lawmakers are also petitioning the government ahead of the June release of the government’s basic economic policy for FY 2025. Finally, Japan lodged protests with the Chinese and Russian governments over language in their joint statement, and with the South Korean government over a visit by Korean lawmakers to disputed islands, while the Chinese government criticized a Taiwanese dignitary’s visit to Japan. Plus: new figures on the number of foreign workers at Japan’s convenience stores.

Politics

The LDP’s working group on political reform meets ahead of the finalization of the party’s legislative proposal. Source: LDP

After negotiations between the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Kōmeitō failed to produce an agreement on the substance of a political reform bill, the LDP submitted its own reform bill on Friday, 17 May (outlined here), an unusual breakdown in ruling coalition cooperation. The ruling parties remain far apart on new disclosure rules for the purchasers of tickets to political funding parties. The LDP wants the threshold for disclosure at JPY 100,000 (USD 645) or higher, Kōmeitō at JPY 50,000 or higher. The Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) and Democratic Party for the People (DPFP) are preparing to submit their joint proposal next week; Ishin no Kai will submit an independent proposal next week as well. The competing proposals sets the stage for heated deliberations in the special committee on political reform, and presumably tense negotiations behind the scenes.

The House of Representatives’s political ethics commission unanimously approved a motion filed by the opposition to request that 44 Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmakers involved in the kickback scheme who have yet to face questioning appear before the commission. They will be asked to appear no later than 20 May.

Moriyama Hiroshi, chairman of the LDP’s general council, indicated on 11 May that the party was not planning to field a candidate to run against exiled upper house member Sekō Hiroshige in Wakayama in the 2025 House of Councillors elections. If Sekō were to win reelection as an independent, he would presumably be clear to return to the LDP after the election.

LDP Secretary-General Motegi Toshimitsu addresses the press on Monday, 13 May. Source: LDP

After Tokyo police raided the offices of the Tsubasa party, a minor party that competed in the 28 April by-election in Tokyo-15, amidst allegations that it obstructed the campaigning of other parties, LDP Secretary-General Motegi Toshimitsu said the party would seek to revise the public elections law to strengthen penalties for acts that interfere with the election campaigns. Ishin no Kai and the Democratic Party for the People (DPFP) share the LDP’s concerns; Kōmeitō, the Constitutional Democratic Party, and the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) want to prevent a recurrence of this kind of incident but are concerned about potential restrictions on freedom of expression. Following the raid, Tokyo police arrested the Tsubasa Party’s secretary-general, leader, and campaign van driver for their alleged interference on Friday, 17 May.

Ishiba Shigeru dined with former prime minister Koizumi Junichirō, as well as Koizumi’s old allies Yamazaki Taku and Takebe Tsutomu and his old postal reform adversary Kamei Shizuka, on Tuesday, 14 May. The group discussed the outlook for Kishida and the LDP. According to Yamazaki, Koizumi said that his son should not run in this year’s leadership election. Yamazaki also said members of the group urged Ishiba to run in the leadership race; of the dinner, Ishiba said only that they reminisced about the Koizumi government. Nevertheless, a study group that Ishiba resurrected earlier this year will meet again in June.