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Japan 2005 RP-Present: From Postal Politics and Beyond


Kitten

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Hello everyone, for the first time I have decided to give a shot at running a RP. Of course, I wanted to make this initial post to get you guys up to date on what I have planned. For starters, I made a spreadsheet for the House of Representatives following the 2005 election as well as having the composition of the House of Councillors in it. The next post will be what I have planned for the RP and potential mechanics and following that I will post a list of parties that players can take. Any questions? Feel free to ask.
For now, I will provide you guys with the spreadsheet so you can take a look at it. Maybe It can give you an idea as to who you might want to play as.


https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-VUHCpUp99F-th1I_dhIpm1C42QqPoC8/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102748828807323179625&rtpof=true&sd=true

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On 11/3/2021 at 12:54 PM, Kitten said:

Hello everyone, for the first time I have decided to give a shot at running a RP. Of course, I wanted to make this initial post to get you guys up to date on what I have planned. For starters, I made a spreadsheet for the House of Representatives following the 2005 election as well as having the composition of the House of Councillors in it. The next post will be what I have planned for the RP and potential mechanics and following that I will post a list of parties that players can take. Any questions? Feel free to ask.
For now, I will provide you guys with the spreadsheet so you can take a look at it. Maybe It can give you an idea as to who you might want to play as.


https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-VUHCpUp99F-th1I_dhIpm1C42QqPoC8/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102748828807323179625&rtpof=true&sd=true

What will be done about new parties? Or what if old parties die out? Who will take what?

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25 minutes ago, Timur said:

What will be done about new parties? Or what if old parties die out? Who will take what?

I have thought about this but frankly there's two potential options. Follow the real life situation of new parties forming and allowing players to lead them once they are formed or simply see where this rp goes and we'll decide at a later date. Of course I'm very open to suggestions. This is going to be my first time running a rp so it's a great chance to learn 🙂

 

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25 minutes ago, Timur said:

What will be done about new parties? Or what if old parties die out? Who will take what?

I have thought about this but frankly there's two potential options. Follow the real life situation of new parties forming and allowing players to lead them once they are formed or simply see where this rp goes and we'll decide at a later date. Of course I'm very open to suggestions. This is going to be my first time running a rp so it's a great chance to learn 🙂

 

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Party Information
(Mostly from Wikipedia)

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)

Center to Right

自由民主党, Jiyū-Minshutō


After a landslide victory, the LDP along with its coalition partner, the New Komeito, currently holds an absolute Majority in the House of Representatives.

Though the party leader supports privatization of most industries, a large faction within the LDP supports state-ownership of key industries and opposes the neo-liberal economic policies of Prime Minister Koizumi. The party is the most right-wing and conservative party in Japan, and is still the most popular. Nevertheless, because of its status as the ruling party, it is marred by various special interests pushing for government patronage. The LDP has also been troubled by financial scandals throughout the years.

Unlike the other parties, the LDP did not espouse a well-defined ideology or political philosophy. Its members held a variety of positions that could be broadly defined as being to the right of the opposition parties, yet more moderate than those of Japan's numerous rightist splinter groups. The LDP traditionally identified itself with a number of general goals: rapid, export-based economic growth; close cooperation with the United States in foreign and defense policies; and several newer issues, such as administrative reform. Administrative reform encompassed several themes: simplification and streamlining of government bureaucracy; privatization of state-owned enterprises; and adoption of measures, including tax reform, needed to prepare for the strain on the economy posed by an aging society. Other priorities in the early 1990s included promoting a more active and positive role for Japan in the rapidly developing Asia-Pacific region, internationalizing Japan's economy by liberalizing and promoting domestic demand, creating a high technology information society, and promoting scientific research. A business-inspired commitment to free enterprise was tempered by the insistence of important small business and agricultural constituencies on some form of protectionism.

Key potential leaders:

Shinzō Abe @Pringles

Tarō Asō @Fbarbarossa

Fumio Kishida

Yoshihide Suga

Yuriko Koike @Timur

The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ)

Center-Left to Center

民主党, Minshutō

the 2005 snap parliamentary elections called by Junichiro Koizumi in response to the rejection of his Japan Post privatization bill saw a major setback to the DPJ's plans of obtaining a majority in the Diet. The DPJ leadership, particularly Okada, had staked their reputation on winning the election and driving the LDP from power. When the final results were in, the DPJ had lost 62 seats, mostly to its rival the LDP, which had been steadily losing seats for many years. Despite this electoral setback, the Democratic Party remains the primary rival of the ruling Liberal Democrats and their coalition partner New Komeito, although it is now significantly weakened.

The Democratic Party claim themselves to be revolutionary in that they are against the status quo and the current governing establishment. The Democratic Party argues that the bureaucracy of the Japanese government size is too large, inefficient, and saturated with cronies and that the Japanese state is too conservative and stiff. The Democratic Party wants to "overthrow the ancient régime locked in old thinking and vested interests, solve the problems at hand, and create a new, flexible, affluent society which values people's individuality and vitality."

The Democratic Party argues that a free market economic system is favorable for Japanese people's welfare. The claim is that they represent "citizens, taxpayers and consumers”, not seeking to favor either free market or the welfare state and see the government's role as limited to building the necessary system for self-reliant and independent individuals.

The Democratic Party seeks to introduce transparency of government and a decentralization of government agencies to local organizational structures including to let citizens themselves provide former government services and have a society with more just and fair rules. The Democratic party proclaims to hold the values in the meaning of the constitution to "embody the fundamental principles of the Constitution: popular sovereignty, respect for fundamental human rights, and pacifism”, having an international-policy of non-intervention and mutual coexistence and to restore the world's trust in Japan.

Seiji Maehara

Ichirō Ozawa

Yukio Hatoyama @WVProgressive

Naoto Kan

Yoshihiko Noda

Katsuya Okada

 

New Komeito (NKP)

公明党, Kōmeitō

Center to Center Right

The natural partner of the Liberal Democratic Party, think of the Coalition in Australian politics and this is the National Party to the Liberal Party of Australia. The party shares its support base with the LDP, made up of white-collar bureaucrats and rural populations, but also gains support from religious leaders.

2005 proved to be a rough year for the New Komeito. The Secretary-General said that his party would consider forming a coalition government with the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) if the DPJ gained a majority in the House of Representative. This has somewhat strained the relationship between the LDP and the New Komeito as the memory of the 1993 anti-LDP coalition still remains. The party also lost 3 seats in the snap election and many are blaming the leader Takenori Kanzaki.

NKP's declared mission is to pioneer "people-centered politics, a politics based on a humanitarianism that treats human life with the utmost respect and care".  Domestically, the party proposals include reduction of the central government and bureaucracy, increased transparency in public affairs, and increased local (prefectural) autonomy with the private sector playing an increased role. With regard to foreign policy, the NKP wishes to eliminate nuclear arms and armed conflict in general. In so doing, it hopes to bring about the "dawn of a new civilization of mankind". Although most of the NKP politicians and core supporters are Sōka Gakkai members, the NKP platform scarcely remarks on religious issues.

Komeito regards the Soka Gakkai as a "major electoral constituency", having formally separated from the religious group and revised both its platform and regulations in 1970 to reflect a "secular orientation".  Observers continue to describe Komeito as the Soka Gakkai's "political arm”, however, and critics contend the relationship violates the separation of religion and politics enshrined in Article 20 of the Japanese Constitution. The leadership and financing of the two groups are currently said to be independent.

Key Leaders:

Takenori Kanzaki

Akihiro Ota

Natsuo Yamaguchi

 

Japanese Communist Party (JCP)

Far-Left to Left

日本共産党, Nihon Kyōsan-tō

@The Blood

The 2005 Snap Election for the Communist Party was the status quo. No gains or losses in seats. The Communist Party is mainly seen as a protest vote against the DJP and the LDP.

One of the JCP's main objectives is terminating the Japan-U.S. military alliance and the dismantling of all U.S. military bases in Japan. It wants to make Japan a non-aligned and neutral country, in accordance with its principles of self-determination and national sovereignty. (In Japan there are about 130 U.S. military bases and other related facilities, Okinawa having the largest U.S. military base in Asia).

The JCP also strives to change the nation's economic policy of what it sees as serving the interests of large corporations and banks to one of "defending the interests of the people," and to establish "democratic rules" that will check the activities of large corporations and "protect the lives and basic rights of the people."

The JCP also opposes nuclear weapons and military blocs, and opposes any attempt to revise Article 9 of the Constitution of Japan, which says that "never again …... [Japan] be visited with the horrors of war through the action of government" and declares that "sovereign power resides with the people."

Regarding the issue of the international economy, the JCP has advocated establishing a new international democratic economic order on the basis of respect for the economic sovereignty of each country. The JCP sees the United States, transnational corporations and international financial capital as pushing globalization, which, it says, is seriously affecting the global economy, including the monetary and financial problems, as well as North-South and environmental problems. The JCP advocates "democratic regulation of activities by transnational corporations and international financial capital on an international scale."

The JCP has called for immediate changes in Japan's foreign policy. Regarding the resolution of disputes, it argues that priority must be given to peaceful means through negotiations, not to military solutions. The JCP says that Japan must adhere to the U.N. Charter. It also adheres to the idea that Japan as an Asian country must stop putting emphasis on diplomacy centering on relations with the United States and the G8 Summit, and put Asian diplomacy at the center of its foreign relations. It supports Japan establishing an "independent foreign policy in the interests of the Japanese people," and rejects "uncritically following any foreign power." It also advocates that Japan express remorse and apologies for its actions during World War II as a prerequisite for developing relations with the rest of Asia.

The JCP stance on international terrorism is that only by "encircling the forces of terror through strong international solidarity with the United Nations at the center" can terrorism be eliminated. It argues that waging war as a response to terrorism "produces a rift and contradictions in international solidarity, which instead expands the breeding ground of terrorism."

While the JCP was firmly against the imperial house both during all of the pre-war and most of the post-war era, it has recently said that it is not opposed to the Emperor remaining as Japan's head of state if he has no power and is only a figurehead.

Although it is a Leninist party, the JCP does not advocate socialist revolution: it claims to adhere to the idea of a "democratic revolution" to achieve "democratic change in politics and the economy," and also "the complete restoration of Japan's national sovereignty", which it sees as infringed by Japan's security alliance with the United States.

 

Social Democratic Party (SDP)

Left to Center-Left

社会民主党, Shakai Minshu-tō

@Cenzonico

It was formerly known as the Japan Socialist Party (JSP), until 1991, when it changed its name. It defines itself as a social democratic party. Until the 1990s, it was Japan's largest opposition party. It enjoyed a short period of government participation 1993-4 and formed a coalition government under a JSP Prime Minister 1994-6. After the electoral defeat of 1996 it lost many of its moderate members to the Democratic Party of Japan in 1998. As of 2005, it is a relatively small Japanese political party. The party now is still showing signs of decline, especially since the DPJ has been getting ever more popular.

In the 2004 House of Councillors election, the SDP won only two seats, having five seats in the House of Councillors and six seats in the House of Representatives.

Key leaders:

Mizuho Fukushima

Tadatomo Yoshida

Seiji Mataichi

 

People's New Party

国民新党 Kokumin Shintō

Center-Left to Center-Right

@Hestia

PNP formed on August 17, 2005 in the aftermath of the defeat of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Japan Post privatization bills which led to a snap election. in the 2005 snap election, the party was able to retain four seats, matching the pre-election total, with two single-seat members (Watanuki and Shizuka Kamei) and two proportional members (Hisaoki Kamei and new member Masaki Itokawa). However, the overwhelming victory of the LDP, with a new two-thirds majority in the lower house, makes it unlikely that they would be able to exert influence on government policy.

Most of the members of the PNP were formerly members of the LDP. Their strong links to the postal lobby forced them to go against Koizumi's plans to privatise the postal system. While Watanuki was made party leader, Kamei was also seen as a public face for the party.

The party was initially almost exclusively defined by its opposition to Koizumi's 'dictatorial' politics as expressed in the post privatization debate. Eventually their platform was broadened to include ideals of serving and protecting the people, and engaging in "warm, friendly politics".

 

New Party Nippon

新党日本 Shintō Nippon

Center

The party was headed by the Nagano governor Yasuo Tanaka, and includes Diet members Kōki Kobayashi (deputy leader), Takashi Aoyama, Makoto Taki, and Hiroyuki Arai, who left the Liberal Democratic Party in opposition to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s postal privatization drive.

The new party is seen as aiming to appeal toward urban voters, while the People's New Party, formed around the same time by other LDP rebels, has a more rural support base.

In the 2005 snap election, only one member, Makoto Taki, was elected (to a proportional seat in Kinki), with Kobayashi and Aoyama, among others, failing to be elected in either single-seat or proportional districts.

 

New Party Daichi

新党大地 Shintō Daichi

Centre-right

The party is headed by former Liberal Democratic Party member Muneo Suzuki. Suzuki resigned from the LDP in June 2002 after being arrested on suspicion of accepting bribes. He was convicted of bribery and other charges the next year, and announced the party's creation while released on bail. He is critical of Junichiro Koizumi's policies and postal privatization.

NPD is categorized as a political organization because it does not fulfill the criteria necessary to be recognized as a political party under the Public Offices Election Law. The party fielded one candidate from a single-seat district while Suzuki headed a roster of three candidates for the proportional representation constituency.

In the snap election of 2005 Muneo Suzuki was elected to a proportional seat in the Hokkaidō bloc.

Edited by Kitten
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I am interested in going with the Communists. However, I'm not sure.  Someone else might be interested.  I would have been interested in playing the Far-Right just for fun, but they're not availabe.

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4 hours ago, Timur said:

I am interested in going with the Communists. However, I'm not sure.  Someone else might be interested.  I would have been interested in playing the Far-Right just for fun, but they're not availabe.

I had been looking out for the Communists too, but if you want them I can just go with the SDP or People's New Party.

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Alright let me share some of the details of what I have planned out for mechanics in this rp.

First of all, Japanese politics is noteworthy for political factions. Therefore a faction system will be based upon players.

For example, a party can have multiple players with several factions which could influence the direction of the party. Perhaps every turn I'll allow players to try to gain a faction member until all spots have been filled. Of course this may take time in the LDP but in the case of the DPJ it might be different because of another mechanic which I'll explain later on.

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is unplayable since he eventually retires in 2006. This is where the LDP players will have over a year to start influencing party members and try to gain a majority of the parliamentarians to support them in the leadership race that is coming up.

The DPJ also has its own leadership race but this one is much shorter and will be over by the second turn of it goes well but we can discuss that later.

As for turns, I haven't decided how long time will pass in the rp but every turn should represent a week. So Sep. 12, 2005- Sep. 17, 2005.

Of course I'm open to suggestions from everyone!

Edited by Kitten
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@TimurApparently we can split parties, and talking with Kitten, if you want the Communists with me, I could be the more militant/revolutionary faction, with you controlling the moderates in the party.

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3 hours ago, The Blood said:

@TimurApparently we can split parties, and talking with Kitten, if you want the Communists with me, I could be the more militant/revolutionary faction, with you controlling the moderates in the party.

OK.

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10 hours ago, Timur said:

OK.

Or, can I take the hard right wing of the Liberal Democratic Party?

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4 hours ago, Kitten said:

We just need a few more players in particular some for the DPJ and we should be good to get started.

@Timur

Did you still want to join as an LDP player? Just want to make sure 🙂

 

Yes.

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