An Empty Capitalism Plan, Kishida Administration’s Ploy for a Longer Term in the House of Representatives
Prime Minister Kishida’s strategy of not being criticized for not saying or doing anything is working. I wonder how long he can survive with this strategy! Photo: Yoshio Tsunoda/AfroIf the people, who were expecting a change of government and a change of politics that would make their lives easier, start to realize that the government is not doing anything, the Kishida administration will be blown out of the sky in a heartbeat. It’s about time something has to be done.
A senior official of the Liberal Democratic Party said frankly.
He said it 204 times in the Diet.
He would listen to opinions, even those he disagreed with, and would begin with yes, as a response. He has always played the role of a good guy, responding to helpful opinions by saying, “I would like to consider them as meaningful opinions.” This attitude can anger the people living in poverty under the unfair social structure of irregular employment and low wages.
The fact that the government has been quietly running the government for eight months was revealed at a meeting of the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives on August 1.
Prime Minister Kishida used the phrase ‘we will consider it’ 204 times in his response to the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives’ fiscal 2022 supplementary budget proposal. It was pointed out that this was, by far, greater than in the Abe and Kan administrations. While one would think that the opposition parties would not be in a position to be counting the number of times he had used the word ‘consider’ in his answers before the Upper House election, some praised him for his excellent use of the word.
The nomenclature was given by Yuichiro Tamaki, representative of the People’s Democratic Party of Japan. He pointed a finger at Prime Minister Kishida, saying, “He is called a ‘consideration envoy’.” He later tweeted, “The Secretariat of the House of Representatives inquired what kanji should be applied to Kentoshi.”
Not ‘envoy to the Tang Dynasty,’ but ‘consideration envoy.’ … ‘”
Prime Minister Kishida himself was reportedly scratching his forehead as he walked back to his residence. He gave his secretary a mixed expression of frustration and amusement. Both the ruling and opposition parties remain optimistic.
Economic Policy Stagnation
A former cabinet member said.
Prime Minister Kishida was planning to win the Upper House election to strengthen his base of power, and then he was going to launch the Kishida color scheme in one sweep. He told Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara and the prime minister’s secretaries, “Let’s use the period before the election to promote the new capitalism and send out a variety of information. This is to stall time while the war in Ukraine and the resulting high prices of commodities had arisen. Prime Minister Kishida is indeed becoming impatient.
Just when he thought that his high approval rating would ensure a long-term government, the price of daily necessities is still sky-high and rising daily, a far cry from the ‘three golden years’ he hoped it would be.
A career METI official said, “Prime Minister Kishida made a mistake in his decision.”
Prime Minister Kishida’s error of judgment was to subsidize gasoline due to high crude oil prices. He rushed to start paying out money when the crude oil market price was $70, the subsidies should have been limited to the cost of kerosene for fishermen and the Hokkaido region. Subsidies are being pumped in at a pace of 2 trillion yen per year, with no way out in sight. And since they are only trying to stifle price increases, the public is not happy. In METI’s view, it would have been better to subsidize electricity bills. Even Vice President Aso and Secretary-General Shigeki share the same views.
Most market observers believe that high crude oil prices will momentarily reach as high as $150 per barrel before settling around $120 per barrel. Prime Minister Kishida, in a panic, ordered subsidizing, fearing that soaring gasoline prices would have a negative impact on the election.
A Policy Too Empty
Yoichi Miyazawa, the chairman of the Tax Commission, who is Prime Minister Kishida’s advisor, is said to have shared with a manager of a partially listed company that the Kishida administration will be in power for a long time.
The Kishida administration’s ability to hold onto power for a long time depends, first and foremost, on its ability to show the people a real sense of distribution. The only way to achieve this is through higher wages.
Prime Minister Kishida’s new capitalism is said to aim at a virtuous cycle of funds with increased government support. Response to the failure of Abenomics, which was announced on May 31, was empty and devoid of concrete measures. If Prime Minister Kishida has a new plan for capitalism that opens the way to the future, this should be unveiled as soon as possible.
Interview and text by： Shutaro Iwashiro Photo: Yoshio Tsunoda/Afro： Yoshio Tsunoda/Afro
