Japanese editorial excerpts -2-

Japan Policy & Politics, July 22, 2003

TOKYO, July 19 Kyodo

Selected editorial excerpts from the Japanese press:

TEST OF THE WILL TO REFORM (IHT/Asahi as translated from the Japanese-language Asahi Shimbun's editorial published July 18)

For the first time in a long while, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said something that sounded persuasive. In an interview for the monthly magazine Chuo-Koron on the approaching autumn presidential election for his Liberal Democratic Party, he said, ''If I win, my policy will become the election promise of the Liberal Democratic Party.'' When he met members of his party, he was also reported to have said, ''Whether party members support me or my challenger will be a test (of their willingness to support my reform promise).''

If Koizumi is re-elected LDP president, it would be a sign his party endorses his policies, and those policies will naturally become the LDP's campaign platform. Whatever minor differences may remain among party members, it is a matter of principle in government by political parties that the losers in an election cooperate with the broad outline of the winner's policies. At present, however, many in the LDP stymie Koizumi's efforts to execute his policies even though they chose him as their president.

Koizumi is being criticized within the LDP for what some call his ''dictatorial'' approach and ''adopting a Hitler-like or North Korea-like approach.'' Koizumi's reaction to the criticism is also out of our range of comprehension. As soon as the criticism began, he backed away from his earlier statement, saying, ''I did not say it would be 'a test','' and ''The party will determine election promises.''

We can't help but wonder whether Koizumi is trying to put the forces of opposition in the LDP off balance by issuing bold, crowd-pleasing statements, then compromising on them to bolster his chances of getting re-elected.

When the opposition blamed him for failing to deliver on promises made when he sought the LDP presidency the first time around, Koizumi brushed off the attack and dismissed the allegation with, ''That's not important.'' If Koizumi truly intends to keep his campaign promises, he should not retreat from his declaration that the response of LDP members to his policies will be a test.

If the LDP's platform remains as obscure at the time of the Lower House election -- anticipated to follow the LDP presidential election -- as it is now, it will only confuse voters and endanger the democratic process of having policy choices made at the polls.

Of course the substance of the policy test is very important. In his three previous LDP presidential challenges, Koizumi's pledges were concise enough to fit on a sheet or two of letter-size paper. In the approaching election, he is said to be intent on confining his pledges to one sheet of paper that focuses on privatizing highway corporations and postal services and decentralizing government.

But Koizumi has been prime minister for more than two years under the banner of structural reform of the nation's economy. Could such a brief summation of his policy be sufficient for someone in his political position? How much have his reforms advanced? What is behind the delays?

The substance of Koizumi's test must be painted in clear, specific terms, not dressed in gaudy, primary colors. And they must be comprehensive to a degree that voters can see the full policy picture.

If Koizumi's detractors within the LDP are not happy with their president's policies, they should challenge him with a candidate of their own. They would be deceiving voters if they support Koizumi in the LDP election as a way to ride through the Lower House election on his coattails, only to join in dumping on him after the election.

(July 19)