The LDP: A landslide to success or failure?

The LDP or better known as the Liberal Democratic Party in Japan currently rules over the majority in the House of Representatives not only the last 2005 elections but over decades before as well. At 1st glance, this seemed like a normal thing since people have a certain 'favoritism' in parties or better yet, the most popular party in Japan after all they had an outstanding victory over election except in 1993 for just a short period of time. Nevertheless, what is skeptical in Japan is that the LDP didnt actually won the elections because of their popularity. They are in fact the least favorite party of them all and some even say they hate the most. So what are the many reasons why the LDP still remains its longevity?

After seeing a video that talks about the LDP, I found that there are three initial reasons: the first is that the LDP has been successful in the economic developments throughout the postwar years and this may be a reason despite the people hate them. The second would be that the LDP has been supporting Japanese culture and further enriching it. Lastly, the LDP is really effective in making policies in governing Japan; making effective rules and regulations that seems to be working for the people. So why change the system? If the Japanese change the system, it doesn't give them assurance that a new ruling party would be for the better or for worse. Thinking about the worse part is something very Japanese, they are known to be cautious and unrisky people so this may be a reason why the LDP still remains at the top. This can be backed up from the fact that Japanese are great savers than any other country even in the domestic level. Yet, there is a crisis in Japan that recently there had been low voting rates in the elections where there are more abstain rather than voting neither parties. It may be that people are already tired of voting because they knew for a fact that despite their efforts for a change, the LDP will still remain at top of the majority which I will explain in the next paragraph.

What's stunning to me is that the opposition party has a better voting rate than the LDP as a whole party voting but when it comes to candidate voting, the people prefer an LDP candidate rather than the opposition candidate. There are many reasons: One is that the LDP running candidates are better, in the author's term, "quality" than the opposition. In terms of quality is that LDP candidates have already contributed in a prefectural projects such as bridges, roads etc., they were government official thus giving them an edge on credibility and experience and lastly, what is more surprising is that the LDP has a LOT of connections with the government and central bank which they can uphold their promises to the people rather than the opposition. This is what the people are calling a pipeline system where the locals ask for help with an LDP representative, then that representative would get in touch with the said government and central bank to ask for funds or help and then it will be given to the locals. This is why I think that the rural section has a lot of support to the LDP because the agricultural sector in Japan is highly subsidized and protected even up to now. It is because the LDP is helping these farmers get what they want and this is why farmers that have their own land are finacially stable.

To cut the long story short, the LDP has reigned over the decades simply because they are already established with the people running Japan and they only need to do is execute the plans and innovate rules, etc. I mean despite the global recession, Japan is still an economic power the only problem is, there are new rising economic powers like China and India. Besides, how can the opposition fight against an established party? It is like Toyota vs. Chery in choosing car preference. Right now, for me Japan isn't ready for a quick change like what happened in the Tokugawa regime to the Meiji Restoration. Nevertheless the DPJ still has hope for more "fairer" and equal Japan. There may be hope for the reform of Japan because recently the LDP has frequently changing prime ministers and facing problems that are very difficult to address. Yet we cannot solely blame who governs Japan for there might be other factors of this recent failure.