Ozawa Ichirō and Japanese Politics: Old Versus New by Aurelia George Mulgan

Author:Aurelia George Mulgan [Mulgan, Aurelia George]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Ethnic Studies, Leadership, Social Science, Political Science, Political Process, American Government, Regional Studies, General
ISBN: 9781317677239
Google: X1ScBQAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 28025363
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2014-11-27T00:00:00+00:00

5 The Ozawa dictatorship

Amongst the many reasons for Ozawa’s continuing prominence in Japanese politics has been his reputation as a political kingpin and ‘actual power-holder’ (jitsuryokusha),1 regardless of the formal position that he held. His political behaviour over more than 40 years revealed a predisposition for exerting hegemonic control over any party or administration of which he was a part. His preference for wielding personal power did not change even when he became a key figure in the ‘new’ politics regime inaugurated by the DPJ in 2009. He remained ‘unreconstructed’ in the sense that he continued to operate as a dominating influence behind the scenes, to demonstrate a dictatorial leadership style and to observe the fundamental precepts of the old Tanaka model of politics. Even when given the best opportunity of his political career finally to perform within political institutions newly strengthened by reform and to consolidate the systemic structural changes to the political system that he had previously advocated, Ozawa instead focused almost exclusively on maximising his own power across the gamut of Diet, party and government affairs. This raises the fundamental question about what truly motivates Ozawa: is it a desire to acquire power in order to restructure the system of Japanese politics or is it an ambition merely to exert political power for its own sake?

Ozawa’s dominance over the Hatoyama administration

When Ozawa joined the DPJ, he pledged to adopt a consensual approach and to work cooperatively with other party members.2 His official position as DPJ secretary-general placed him second in command to President Hatoyama. In practice, Ozawa lived up to descriptions of him as ‘the most powerful person in the DPJ’ (Minshutō saidai no jitsuryokusha)3 and ‘the most influential person in the ruling party’ (yotō no saikō jitsuryokusha).4

Ozawa’s claim to pre-eminence in the party was partly based on his relative seniority compared to the vast bulk of the DPJ’s Diet members. His Diet career had spanned four decades while the great majority of the ruling party’s politicians had been elected fewer than four times, and a huge number were first-term Diet members elected in either 2007 or 2009. His quick assertion of dominance over the party, however, was more than just a question of experience and seniority. As Tanaka Shūsei points out:

Before we knew it, the DPJ had come under ‘Ozawa’s one-man rule’…I do not know anyone else in Japan’s post-war political history whose political force has been as strong as Ozawa’s. Former Prime Minister SatōEisaku and former Prime Minister Tanaka Kakuei also established strong political foundations in the party but both had rivals - former Prime Minister Ikeda Hayato and former Fukuda Takeo respectively - who were on an equal footing with them. However, from this point onwards, the DPJ is virtually going to be under Ozawa’s one-man rule. Even those who were displaying anti-Ozawa and non-Ozawa attitudes have waved the white flag.5

It was not just the party that Ozawa ruled. By coordinating personnel affairs between the party and government as part of his secretary-general’s duties,

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