Economy, defence and diversity among key issues in Japan's upcoming election
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida dissolved the Lower Chamber of Parliament last week for a general election to be held on Oct 31.
Here are some of the issues at stake:
Economy
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has pledged to achieve “fairer wealth distribution” after years of pre-pandemic growth failed to translate into higher wages and worsened the rich-poor divide, while pledging a “comprehensive and ambitious” stimulus package.
The main opposition, Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), meanwhile, is calling for the consumption tax to be halved from 10 per cent to 5 per cent.
Both scenarios are nightmarish for the Finance Ministry top bureaucrat Koji Yano, who wrote in an op-ed: “These ideas give the impression that Japan has an unlimited amount of money in its coffers.”
Japan has the worst fiscal debt among developed economies.
Mr Yano’s rebuke got under the skin of the LDP, with Mr Kishida saying that the civil servant can express his views all he wants but must fall in line once the direction is set.
Defence
The LDP manifesto emphasises Japan’s partnerships with the United States, Quad, Asean, Europe and Taiwan, with the Free and Open Indo-Pacific vision a key plank of foreign and defence policy. It also endorses Taiwan’s application to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact.
The LDP also vowed to increase defence-related spending to 2 per cent of gross domestic product – double the current artificial ceiling.
The CDP manifesto has similar pledges, but without such overt support to Taiwan.
Diversity
The LDP manifesto stuck pretty much to the status quo, retaining the longstanding pledge to create a more conducive environment for women at work and in society.
The CDP went further in also promising “a society where no one is left behind”, by allowing married couples to keep separate surnames and recognising gay marriage.
It also said it would open a national human rights institution against discrimination.
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