With the Dec. 31 deadline for compiling the fiscal 2006 budget approaching, the government recently made a series of decisions, including placing a heavier financial burden on people aged 70 years or older receiving medical service, the creation of a single public-lending institution out of the current eight government-affiliated financial institutions, an abolition of 4 trillion yen in government subsidies to local governments and a transfer of 3 trillion yen tax revenues to local governments.
In the past this time of the year was marked by intense competition among ruling party politicians, bureaucrats and lobbyists for a larger share of the budget. But this year's budgetary decision making has been eerily smooth. It appears that the "tribe" politicians representing vested parochial interests have fallen nearly silent in the face of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's uncompromising ways. Such a situation has its positive side, but at the same time it means that politicians have made important decisions without first engaging in active discussions. This political "hollowing out" should concern those who believe that serious and vigorous discussions representing a wide range of opinions is the foundation of a healthy democracy.
Since winning a landslide victory in the Lower House elections in September, Mr. Koizumi has greatly strengthened his power in the Liberal Democratic Party and in the process almost silenced all opposition within the party. During the election campaign, he employed rhetoric -- "Without postal reform, what kind of reform is possible?" -- and turned the election into a referendum on postal reform, his pet theme -- and into a confidence vote on himself. Since the LDP won an overwhelming victory, he has been able to behave as if solely he, rather than his party, received a mandate from the voters.