Politics is playful game of gables and sacrifices, it requires thick skin and patience to reach and achieve the outcome. Every decision is a probability of a new phase of unexpected events and even the loss of status and transition of systems. Deliberate choices and calculated moves are required to proceed forward without being pulled backwards.
When the world celebrated Japan’s major movement towards their political system and the equal share of the political field by electing their first female Prime Minster Sanae Takaichi, the division within the parliament was clear and had a point of opposition. However, newly elected Prime Minister Takaichi confidently addressed the nation’s concerns and promised to work toward filling the gap. And one of the major options she had to go through to ensure a quick and smooth transition, both nationally and internationally was the choice of having Snap Elections as early as next February. A decision that comes with its own risk that can even lead to a full collapse of her rule and status within, but the decision has been elaborated on and is moving forward to proceed with. But despite the electoral system and having the majority of the votes that earned her the title of Japan’s first female Prime Minister, the game is not over yet.
From this gamble, Prime Minster Takaichi is hoping to gain full support over the majority of seats, that can be ruled as a majority over the majority. In simplicity, it refers to gaining the support of both parties with one being the most popular, while the other remains a minority but a majority in terms of popularity and influence. From this, Prime Minster Takaichi is aiming to make the pass of legislations and laws much easier, especially when she has the support of both sides despite being a minority.
In other words, the change of laws and the political transition that she aims to achieve is not easily complied with without the consent and support of both parties, especially when she’s in her prime of power. The gamble and predictability of the situation is based on whether the snap election will go as smoothly as planned, or whether it will pass by and sacrifice the chance to get the majority of the seats in both parties and make the passing of the legislations easier.
The probabilities vary but if the process are smooth as they seem, what Prime Minister Takichi will gain is not only the support and easiness of the process of passing the laws, but she will also open the way for a possible and determinant actions of higher diplomatic engagement and relations with the West, where she stated that Japan will be a normal country in her latest round of talks and negotiations about the snap elections. And that is only achievable if and when the snap election pass by the majority in both parties, because it will gain her full access and support without the possibility of being debunked and rejected.
Despite Japan’s openness to the West and their support of balancing their national and international interests through globalization, Prime Minister Takaichi is aiming to move towards the goal of creating a global society that involves Japan’s economy through the West and contributes directly towards the global economic system and growth. This move is a step forward towards a stable and protected economy that allows Japan to flourish domestically and engage internationally.
Globalization and Westernization have always been a central theme and part of the global division. And Japan is one of those countries who look forward towards development, while still maintaining their national identity and sovereignty of rule and decision making. And that continues to be the case of a segregated nation who prefers their national identity over following the Western norm of democracy and rule. But Takaichi’s approach of ruling is a balance between both, it’s a different approach of governance that relies on national identity and strongly maintaining it while also being able to develop the economic situation by integrating the Western economic model into the national financial system. It is clear that Prime Minister Takaichi is following the foot steps of former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone in 1986 where he formed a snap election and succeeded. In the latter scenario, Prime Minister Nakasone’s movements were based on a complete abidance to the succession of the LDP party rather than changing policies and forming a shift of rule. But time change, and there’s always a a glimpse of hope for a new system. Although politicians within the Japanese system are ruling out the success of this elections, the stakes are still being set high for the outcomes within.
The gamble that is being played has its own high risks that Prime Minister Takaichi has confidently stated about its future and the next steps that will be taken to ensure the stability of the economy and the country’s development without erasing and eradicating the threat of recession and economic collapse. Although the waiting have begun, but the confidence in the system and the administration is being set on track as meetings with Western leaders, including President Trump have been scheduled and set for as early as march of this year. And that indicates the new phase of development in Japan’s national and international economic order and the transition of the the country’s status within the framework of the international community.