The Japs decisively voted out the LDP, who held power since 1955.
The LDP was able to hookwink the japs due to two clever tactics - pork barrel politics and wealth distribution via big infra projects. Generous pork barrels to farmers and construction companies ensured political support during election times. Farmers routinely received aid, protection against cheaper farm imports and underutilized highways that nevertheless ensured living standards were raised throughout the country.
With pork barrel, factions inevitably ballooned and the unique jap solution was to follow the french in which the state bureaucracy actually authored state policy with the Diet serving as a massive rubber stamp. This ensured stability despite the rough and tumble of factional politics within the ruling party.
The LDP cleverly cultivated industrial groups and nurture the export sector that ensure a steady flow of tax revenue to maintain the system beyond Uncle Sam's assistance. Uncle Sam's cooperation to run trade deficits for the japs' prosperity could not be depended once the Soviets goons obliterated themselves with Gorby's reckless reforms
Interestingly the LDP continued to overspend on pork and forgot to invest in new technologies that enabled the island nation to beat the west since 1960. That pork creation resulted in endemic corruption, slowing GDP growth and wasteful public spending finally resulted in the great bubble bursting. Taking advantage of the japs' distraction to spend themselves out of recession during the lost decade, the koreans mount a clever offensive and saw them successfully challenged jap supremacy in certain high tech sectors. The chinks, following the successful example of the koreans were quick to follow and their main strategy is to use their vast domestic market and export prowess to accumulate capital and funds to take pole position as the pre-emient Asian power with waning yankee influence after the sub-prime crisis.
Notoriously the japanese were reluctant to boot the LDP from power since the party hacks were quick to proclaim themselves as the only salvation to run the island country and the taking the opposition serious was a sure way to ruins.
Lion mare Koizumi was simply a novelty disruptive force who emerged after three successive inept PMs proved to be greater lameducks. Koizumi used his charisma to tackle his rivals and tried to prise open protected jap industries. Koizumi's program to create competition via privatization (Japan Postal Service) and labor reforms failed to achieved the necessary high growth rates to kick start the economy who was still reeling from decades of false medication by means of silly public spending.
Political reforms were never Koizumi's agenda. He allowed hereditary politcial succession. The all powerful bureaucrats were allowed to create and implement policies that over time served to cater to the whims and fancies of their chums and big corporate sponsors of their political masters. To compound the worsening economic situation, the practice of 'Amakudari' in which senior civil servants retired to corporate sectors which they regulate resulted in massive public works that continued to pile public debt with little growth to show for it. Bureaucrats, big biz and LDP hacks, indifferent to their electorate's sufferings continued to churn out anti-people policies in hope of the tickle down effect which never materialized. The birth rate continued to plummet and domestic consumption never picked up as slowing growth dampened public confidence and created a vicious cycle of deflation led decline.
The LDP was able to hookwink the japs due to two clever tactics - pork barrel politics and wealth distribution via big infra projects. Generous pork barrels to farmers and construction companies ensured political support during election times. Farmers routinely received aid, protection against cheaper farm imports and underutilized highways that nevertheless ensured living standards were raised throughout the country.
With pork barrel, factions inevitably ballooned and the unique jap solution was to follow the french in which the state bureaucracy actually authored state policy with the Diet serving as a massive rubber stamp. This ensured stability despite the rough and tumble of factional politics within the ruling party.
The LDP cleverly cultivated industrial groups and nurture the export sector that ensure a steady flow of tax revenue to maintain the system beyond Uncle Sam's assistance. Uncle Sam's cooperation to run trade deficits for the japs' prosperity could not be depended once the Soviets goons obliterated themselves with Gorby's reckless reforms
Interestingly the LDP continued to overspend on pork and forgot to invest in new technologies that enabled the island nation to beat the west since 1960. That pork creation resulted in endemic corruption, slowing GDP growth and wasteful public spending finally resulted in the great bubble bursting. Taking advantage of the japs' distraction to spend themselves out of recession during the lost decade, the koreans mount a clever offensive and saw them successfully challenged jap supremacy in certain high tech sectors. The chinks, following the successful example of the koreans were quick to follow and their main strategy is to use their vast domestic market and export prowess to accumulate capital and funds to take pole position as the pre-emient Asian power with waning yankee influence after the sub-prime crisis.
Notoriously the japanese were reluctant to boot the LDP from power since the party hacks were quick to proclaim themselves as the only salvation to run the island country and the taking the opposition serious was a sure way to ruins.
Lion mare Koizumi was simply a novelty disruptive force who emerged after three successive inept PMs proved to be greater lameducks. Koizumi used his charisma to tackle his rivals and tried to prise open protected jap industries. Koizumi's program to create competition via privatization (Japan Postal Service) and labor reforms failed to achieved the necessary high growth rates to kick start the economy who was still reeling from decades of false medication by means of silly public spending.
Political reforms were never Koizumi's agenda. He allowed hereditary politcial succession. The all powerful bureaucrats were allowed to create and implement policies that over time served to cater to the whims and fancies of their chums and big corporate sponsors of their political masters. To compound the worsening economic situation, the practice of 'Amakudari' in which senior civil servants retired to corporate sectors which they regulate resulted in massive public works that continued to pile public debt with little growth to show for it. Bureaucrats, big biz and LDP hacks, indifferent to their electorate's sufferings continued to churn out anti-people policies in hope of the tickle down effect which never materialized. The birth rate continued to plummet and domestic consumption never picked up as slowing growth dampened public confidence and created a vicious cycle of deflation led decline.
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