Angst over opposition rule

Ahead of Japan’s 2009 general election, Robert Dujarric describes the trepidation within Japan’s ruling class at the likely prospect of the Liberal Democratic Party losing to the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). Having governed almost continuously for over 50 years, the LDP’s potential ouster created “palpable anxiety” among bureaucrats, business leaders, and conservatives. They worried that the inexperienced DPJ might mishandle the economy, alter foreign policy (especially relations with the U.S.), or upend the cozy ties between ministries and the LDP that greased policy-making. Dujarric outlines these elite fears – essentially, a concern about uncertainty and change itself.

However, he also notes that the Japanese public was voting for change for a reason: fatigue with LDP scandals and stagnation. He suggests that Japan’s democratic system was mature enough to handle a transfer of power. The DPJ, while untested, consisted of politicians who mostly came from the LDP originally or had governance experience in local bodies. Thus, the angst might be overblown – a DPJ government could bring fresh ideas without causing chaos. Dujarric counsels that stakeholders prepare to work with the new rulers, and that continuity in core policies (like the U.S. alliance) would likely persist. In essence, the article captures a nation on the cusp of political upheaval, reassuring that such alternation, though nerve-wracking to some, is a normal and even healthy part of democracy.