日本にも陪審員制度が導入されるとのことだが、本当に実現するのだろうか？　陪審員制度は民主主義の骨格をなすもので、この制度が無事に定着するようなら、日本も民主主義国家として一人前に近づくことになる。
　日本の世論はいまでも朝日新聞などの大新聞によって形成される面が強い。日本人がこのような権威主義から脱却できないと、真の民主主義は生まれないのだが・・・。

PART THREE:
Outcome of Harmonism (8)

By Shun Daichi

6. Democracy Japanese-Style

What is democracy? To me, the democracy is what Abraham Lincoln once said: "Of the people, by the people, for the people," in which then we don't have democracy in Japan.

If we describe the democracy of Japan as Abraham Lincoln did then we would say: "of the country, by the country, for the country, or, of the companies, by the companies, for the companies."

In the society of Harmonism, who really attains prosperity, freedom and enjoyment? The answer is, "no one!" In Japan the country and the companies get richer, the country and the companies get freedom, and the country and the company enjoys, but not the individual person.

Well, there are some Japanese who became tremendously rich and enjoying freedom and prosperity, but basically those people are the exception.

We have the super rich in Japan but those people take law posture and want to be anonymous.

We have a democratic system of the respective independence of the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary; however, those are for the country and the companies but not for people.

Why we cannot have a democracy in the society of Haronism?

It is because people's rights are of only secondary importance to the Japanese. Keeping harmony nationwide is the most important factor in the life of the Japanese people. Therefore democracy is accepted as far as we can keep relative harmony in the nation.

It must be related to the fact that in Japan we deny individualism. Without individualism there is no democracy either, is there?

If Japan is not a democratic society, then do we have an autocracy society? Yes, we have autocracy by democratically elected government and big newspapers and big companies. At least Japan is a totalitarian state.

Why do we accept "harmonized democracy?" Why has real democracy not been realized by the Japanese people?

The answer may be:

One: we believe that social harmony and peace is more important than individual happiness. Without harmony there will be no happiness anyway.

Two: The other reason is that Japan is basically a poor country, and individual freedom and people's democracy are considered to be extravagant.

There will be big change to be realized soon in Japan. We will have a Western style jury system in 2005. This is almost unthinkable change in Japan. We are used to trust authorities such as big newspaper, famous professors, big businessmen and judges. We are so used to believe in authorities and forgot to think by our own head for so long.

If we introduce Western style jury system, we have to believe in our own judgment. This might change Japanese behavior in a big way.

(To be continued)