TOKYO, Sept. 2, 2021–The erratic policy-driven, hot-temper-hiding prime minister, Suga, is expected to be booted out of his office in several weeks for his highly erratic policies on just about every vital issue confronting Japan. Will his departure change Japan, now near the bottom of key OECD rankings, and help resuscitate its society and economy? A short answer is NO.
First off, the Japanese political theater suffers a dearth of lawmakers, not even mediocre ones the likes of past prime ministers and ministers as well as opposition.
If Suga’s Liberal Democratic Party retains majority no matter how in a general election that must be held by mid-October, a next cabinet would comprise the lethargy of conservative souls to be picked by seniority and/or power.
If opposition wins, the scene would be fraught with chaos as competing opposition parties scamper to secure visible cabinet posts, making the Japanese bureaucracy quietly grinning that the confusion would reign for a long time during which bureaucrats can mind their business rather than subserviently reporting to lawmakers.
The bureaucracy’s capacity to ride out the folly of Japanese politics has strengthened significantly over the past several years when Suga and his predecessor Abe reigned. It has spread bureaucracy regimes to local governments throughout the country, as well as to businesses and industry that have come to sheepishly and closely follow bureaucracy textbook rules.
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