Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10TOKYO168
2010-01-27 05:22:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
LDP DEFECTIONS LEAVE DIET POWER BALANCE UNCHANGED
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C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 000168
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR JA
SUBJECT: LDP DEFECTIONS LEAVE DIET POWER BALANCE UNCHANGED
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission James P. Zumwalt, Reasons 1.4 (b
) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 000168
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR JA
SUBJECT: LDP DEFECTIONS LEAVE DIET POWER BALANCE UNCHANGED
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission James P. Zumwalt, Reasons 1.4 (b
) and (d)
1. (C) Summary: Since last month, four opposition Liberal
Democratic Party (LDP) members of the Diet announced that
they would leave the party, leading to speculation that they
would join and increase the voting power of the ruling
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) in the Upper House. Although
their actions weaken the LDP, all four of them joining their
former rival party overnight still would not give the DPJ
enough seats to abandon its coalition partners. Although the
defections of four LDP Upper House lawmakers made for
attention-grabbing headlines recently in the Japanese media,
ultimately they are unlikely to significantly alter the
current power balance in the Diet. End Summary.
2. (C) In December 2009, four opposition LDP Upper House
members announced that they would leave the party. With the
DPJ eight votes shy of a stand-alone majority in the Upper
House-or just two votes away from no longer needing the
Social Democratic Party (SDP)-political watchers wondered
whether these four LDP politicians would switch allegiances
to the DPJ or a party aligned with the DPJ, thus giving the
ruling party control over both houses of the Diet.
3. (C) Based on statements from the four erstwhile LDP
members, at this point it does not appear that their
departures will translate into any DPJ or DPJ-affiliated
votes in the Upper House. As a result, this political
movement will not contribute to a change in the current
coalition arrangement between the DPJ and SDP.
4. (C) The four Upper House LDP members who submitted letters
of withdrawal from the party are as listed below.
5. (C) Kotaro TAMURA (46),a second-term member from Tottori
prefecture, was the first to leave the LDP. Tamura
reportedly made his decision after it came to light that the
LDP may favor a young, female candidate in the July Upper
House election over the middle-aged Tamura. Tamura's letter
of resignation has been accepted and he is now an Independent.
6. (C) Tamon HASEGAWA (66),a first-term member from Ibaraki
prefecture, was the second LDP politician to announce his
departure from the party. Citing unhappiness with the LDP's
decision to form a voting block with the Japanese Renaissance
Party (JRP),whose candidate defeated an LDP candidate in
Hasegawa's prefecture in the Lower House election last
August, Hasegawa is now an Independent. According to the
Mainichi News, Hasegawa said he would never work with the DPJ.
7. (C) Toshio YAMAUCHI (63),a second-term member from Kagawa
prefecture, announced that he will join the Japan Renaissance
Party (JRP, known in Japanese as the "Kaikaku Club").
Because the JRP is in the LDP's voting block, Yamauchi's
departure from the LDP does not benefit the DPJ.
8. (C) Gotaro YOSHIMURA (70),a third-term member from
Fukuoka prefecture, was reportedly unhappy that his party had
decided to endorse a younger (42) candidate in his electoral
district for this summer's Upper House election. In
response, Yoshimura said he would run against the younger
candidate as an Independent.
ROOS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR JA
SUBJECT: LDP DEFECTIONS LEAVE DIET POWER BALANCE UNCHANGED
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission James P. Zumwalt, Reasons 1.4 (b
) and (d)
1. (C) Summary: Since last month, four opposition Liberal
Democratic Party (LDP) members of the Diet announced that
they would leave the party, leading to speculation that they
would join and increase the voting power of the ruling
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) in the Upper House. Although
their actions weaken the LDP, all four of them joining their
former rival party overnight still would not give the DPJ
enough seats to abandon its coalition partners. Although the
defections of four LDP Upper House lawmakers made for
attention-grabbing headlines recently in the Japanese media,
ultimately they are unlikely to significantly alter the
current power balance in the Diet. End Summary.
2. (C) In December 2009, four opposition LDP Upper House
members announced that they would leave the party. With the
DPJ eight votes shy of a stand-alone majority in the Upper
House-or just two votes away from no longer needing the
Social Democratic Party (SDP)-political watchers wondered
whether these four LDP politicians would switch allegiances
to the DPJ or a party aligned with the DPJ, thus giving the
ruling party control over both houses of the Diet.
3. (C) Based on statements from the four erstwhile LDP
members, at this point it does not appear that their
departures will translate into any DPJ or DPJ-affiliated
votes in the Upper House. As a result, this political
movement will not contribute to a change in the current
coalition arrangement between the DPJ and SDP.
4. (C) The four Upper House LDP members who submitted letters
of withdrawal from the party are as listed below.
5. (C) Kotaro TAMURA (46),a second-term member from Tottori
prefecture, was the first to leave the LDP. Tamura
reportedly made his decision after it came to light that the
LDP may favor a young, female candidate in the July Upper
House election over the middle-aged Tamura. Tamura's letter
of resignation has been accepted and he is now an Independent.
6. (C) Tamon HASEGAWA (66),a first-term member from Ibaraki
prefecture, was the second LDP politician to announce his
departure from the party. Citing unhappiness with the LDP's
decision to form a voting block with the Japanese Renaissance
Party (JRP),whose candidate defeated an LDP candidate in
Hasegawa's prefecture in the Lower House election last
August, Hasegawa is now an Independent. According to the
Mainichi News, Hasegawa said he would never work with the DPJ.
7. (C) Toshio YAMAUCHI (63),a second-term member from Kagawa
prefecture, announced that he will join the Japan Renaissance
Party (JRP, known in Japanese as the "Kaikaku Club").
Because the JRP is in the LDP's voting block, Yamauchi's
departure from the LDP does not benefit the DPJ.
8. (C) Gotaro YOSHIMURA (70),a third-term member from
Fukuoka prefecture, was reportedly unhappy that his party had
decided to endorse a younger (42) candidate in his electoral
district for this summer's Upper House election. In
response, Yoshimura said he would run against the younger
candidate as an Independent.
ROOS