Japan’s Ruling LDP Marks 70th Anniversary of Founding

Tokyo, Nov. 15 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Saturday marked the 70th anniversary of its establishment. The LDP plans to approve at its next party convention, slated for next March, a new vision on the future of the country that would serve as new party guidelines. Public approval ratings for the Japanese cabinet in media polls have jumped since LDP President Sanae Takaichi became the country’s first female prime minister late last month. But the LDP has a long way to go to regain support. The focal point going forward is whether the LDP will be able to seize this anniversary year as an opportunity to stage a comeback in the current tricky situation after the party has become a minority in both parliamentary chambers and changed its coalition partner. On Saturday, the LDP issued a statement on the milestone. Although it did not directly mention its political funds scandal, the party said, “We must reflect on the fact that we lost our sense of awareness as a ruling party holding the reins of the government and created a situation that undermined public trust.” “We strongly pledge never to repeat the same mistake again and are determined to work as one to win the confidence of the people again,” it added. The LDP was formed on Nov. 15, 1955, through the merger of two conservative parties, namely the Liberal Party and the Japan Democratic Party. The Japan Democratic Party’s Ichiro Hatoyama became the first president of the LDP. In October this year, Takaichi became the 29th LDP president. The LDP was established about a month after the unification of the left and right wings of the Japan Socialist Party. The LDP maintained its power for decades under the so-called 1955 system, which involved a political structure centered on the two parties. While the LDP fell out of power in 1993, it quickly made a comeback the following year by having Socialist leader Tomiichi Murayama as the country’s prime minister. The LDP became an opposition party once again in 2009. The party lost its majority of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Japan’s Diet, at last year’s election and of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber, at this year’s election. Komeito last month ended its 26-year coalition partnership with the LDP. Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) took Komeito’s place as the LDP’s new alliance partner. The LDP has yet to revise the Constitution, although a constitutional revision is the party’s key goal since its establishment. It hopes to work together with Nippon Ishin to put together related legislation. Ten years ago, the LDP held a ceremony to mark the 60th anniversary of its founding. The party, however, opted not to have a commemorative ceremony this time, following the woeful outcomes of the latest Upper and Lower House elections. At an LDP party convention in March this year, then Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama announced that the party will develop a new vision for the country by around the 70th anniversary. The party gave up the idea of releasing such a vision this month due to a lack of progress in preparations caused by intraparty confusion that followed the Upper House election rout in July. On Friday, the party held the first meeting of executives of its panel discussing the new vision. The vision will “make clear our position with an eye on the next 30 years,” current Secretary-General Shunichi Suzuki said, bearing in mind that the LDP vowed to clarify its position as a true people-centered and conservative party after analyzing its July election defeat. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]