I don’t pretend the DPJ are perfect, or even any good. But can anyone nominate the group that now forms Japan’s loyal opposition, that will keep Koizumi and the LDP honest (so to speak). It wasn’t long ago everyone thought the DPJ were a real chance, which perhaps spurred Koizumi to finally force the Japan Post issue. Who’s going to do that now?

First they came for the dog lovers, and I did not speak out because I am a cat owner. The Singapore blogosphere is reacting strongly to the sedition charges against the two Singaporeans who made racist comments on bulletin

Remember, Koizumi didn’t throw out members of the LDP and then appoint replacements himself- every single member of the lower house was up for reelection, and anyone who voted for an LDP candidate knew quite clearly that they were voting for postal reform, and probably for some of Koizumi’s other reform proposals, which had been shelved since his popularity began to decline a couple of years ago.

Part of the problem was that the DPJ lacked good leadership. Okada was well known, but far from popular. Maybe the DPJ will take this horribly missed opportunity to get their act together and produce a more coherent platform, that more of their members will actually endorse.

Granted the DPJ wasn’t perfect (show me any party that is). But at least they were forming the nucleus of a viable opposition that in time may present an alternative government to Japan. Where’s the choise now? It’s the LDP way or no way. Previously at least within the LDP there was opposition. Now there’s not even that.

The best times for reform in the United States, for both the left and the right, were during times of electoral landslides. Witness FDR in the 1930s and Reagan in the 1980s. That’s a mandate, not bad democracy.

I maintain that the DPJ was a bad joke of an opposition party, and this election bodes well for the future of Japan’s opposition. Additionally, a two party system is unsustainable when you have a parliament with a large number of seats chosen through a system of proportional representation.

But the tabloids in Japan agree with you — headlines like “Koizumi’s Evil Empire!” and “The Day Democracy Died” are apparently everywhere today.

The problem is at last the DPJ was coalessing into a somewhat reasonable opposition party and a true alternative government. They were right that Koizumi was effectively campaigning on a single issue (albeit a big one) whereas they had reform plans across the spectrum. Koizumi has dragged the LDP into the 20th Century (too much to hope they make it to this century, but one thing at a time) and has been forced to in part because the DPJ were emerging as a serious threat. The decimation of DPJ is great news for Koizumi…but I’m sceptical of how far he’ll push reform. the shame of it is this was the best chance to have a real two party system…now we’re regressing to a one and a half system again.

“Change Japan. Change the LDP“. That slogan says more about the lack of democracy in Japan than anything else.