日本的な優れたリーダーシップというと、竹下登元首相が見事だった。竹下は、野党からも人気があり、日本の政界で完全な独裁体制を作り上げた希有な人物だ。どうやって独裁を達成したのか？ それは、あくまで低姿勢を貫き、すべての人々の意見を聞き、あらゆる方法で説得するという調和主義で成し遂げた。一方、大衆に不人気な消費税を導入し、政情不安定なフィリピンに出かけ、アキノ大統領の後押し・支援をするなど、結構、度胸も良かった。
竹下登もやり方は日本的な優れたリーダーシップの典型だが、ある意味で、そこには怖さもある。
PART FIVE:
A Look at the Past, Current Affairs and the Future. (3)
By Shun Daichi
2 Today's Harmonism (2)
b. Takeshita's new approach: good and bad
When Takeshita was Prime Minister, he showed remarkable leadership. His way of leadership is the only way to lead Japan under Harmonism.
Takeshita dominated the ruling LDP, and at the same time all the other parties could not argue with him, because he was so nice and humble and listened to the opposition Japan Socialist Party and Komeito Party. Chairperson of the JSP, Takako Doi at the time said, "it is hard to oppose Takeshita, he is such a nice character."
Takeshita showed leadership and imposed an unpopular consumption tax. It was remarkable. At the same time, it was very strange to see that there was no opposition party at that time. Japan became united under him, however, for a short period.
Was it a good thing or a bad omen? It was scary to see Japan united under one person, at the same time that is the only way for Japan to have any strong leadership under Harmonism, besides a dictatorship.
C: Koizumi's new approach: good and bad
Prime Minister Koizumi is very popular among Japanese. He talks about reform. He wants to reform government structure and make a government small.
Bubble economy of 1980s produces lots of government related agencies that are controlled by former bureaucrats. Taxes are wasted by those agencies. LDP (Liberal Democratic Party) has been ruled Japan for more than 50 years. LDP is like a dictatorship and surely corrupted. Main concerns of many politicians are just getting wealthy. If you become a diet member you can accumulate 10 million dollars in ten years.
An honest diet member once said, “Anyone working hard for 10 years should be able to accumulate 10 million dollars.” When he resigned as a government official and became a diet member he only had 20 million yen (US$170000-). After 10 yeas of service, his asset became more than 10 million dollars.
Koizumi is a maverick and not interested accumulating his own wealth that why people like him a lot. His strength is in his popularity among common Japanese.
He talks a lot about reform, however, he has no chance to achieve what he says. How power holder of Japan, LDP, can give up the power and easy money streaming in to them. Reform should come from outside.
Koizumi will lose power at the end with disillusion of common people. After Koizumi regime there will be a new government by opposition party.
Koizumi is good because he knows what should be changed but is bad because he cannot deliver what he promises.
(To be continued)
