A Microcosm

The Tokyo municipal elections are over and various analyses have been made. One commonly held opinion is that the "Abe-nomics" program is working well enough for the LDP to maintain its status as the #1 party. Another often-repeated observation is that the Japan Communist Party did better than it has in years, rising to the level of the #3 party. Before anyone calls this a resurgence, though, they should look at the results from one formerly communist-dominated city: Hino City, in western Tokyo.

In its 50 years of existence as a city, Hino has had only 2 mayors. The first mayor, originally elected through multi-party support, flew the communist colors for most of his very long tenure in office. His successor, a three-term non-communist, had his work cut out for him bailing Hino City out of a sea of red ink, and he succeeded. Hold that thought.

Meanwhile, on the national scene, Japan did not fare well during the years when the Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) was the dominant party. If a voter did not care for the "Abe-nomics" program, he probably would not choose to shoot the economy in the foot by voting Minshuto. So where would the protest vote go?

It couldn't in good conscience go to the other major party in the race because of that party's leader's verbal shenanigans. That leaves the Communist Party.

But wait...

What happened in Hino?

Hino gets two representatives in the municipal council. One of the winners was the LDP candidate, a long-serving and popular council member whose votes seem welded to him. The other winner should have been the communist candidate, given Hino's history of communist support.

But it wasn't.

Hino voters, with long experience of seeing their taxes frittered away by communists who make lovely speeches but haven't a clue how to govern, voted Minshuto.

When it comes to real consequences versus symbolic protests, Hino chose practical reality.

Those who would like to think that the Japan Communist Party is getting its second wind should think again.