Yes We Kan: Change Comes (Again) to Japan

New Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan is everything his four predecessors were not: a political outsider, a self-made man, and a straight talker. But will Kan’s background and personality be enough to restore stability at the top of the government while simultaneously solving Japan’s ever-growing list of problems?Mired in the country’s worst recession since World War II, the Japanese people want a change. They thought it would come with a more competitive party system, which led to the election of Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) candidate Yukio Hatoyama back in September, ending nearly 54 years of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) rule. However, Hatoyama proved to be no different than the ineffective, scandal-ridden prime ministers from the other side of the aisle, and he stepped down in the face of approval ratings in the teens.Hatoyama’s resignation is problematic, as Japan is now on its fifth prime minister in four years. Rather than a revolving door for leaders, what Japan really needs is stability at the top. The unemployment rate stands around five percent, which is outrageous to many Japanese, accustomed to unemployment rates of around three percent. Japan is also facing deflation, a ballooning deficit, and a pension system on the verge of collapse – not to mention its foreign policy worries, such as the U.S. military base in Okinawa, an aggressive North Korea, and a rising China. All of these problems require bold ideas and an adept leader to bring those ideas to fruition.Such leadership has been lacking for the last four years, but with Kan at the helm, Japan has the opportunity to get on the right track once and for all. Unlike Hatoyama, who was born into a wealthy, prominent political family, Kan is the son of a middle-class businessman. He spent his early adult years as a civic activist, working on issues such as property taxes, improved housing, and transparent elections. His experience as an average citizen will go a long way in convincing the Japanese people that he understands their economic hardship and is working to improve their lives, and not line the pockets of various special interests groups.Kan also differs from Hatoyama—and other prime ministers before him—in that he does not just talk about battling the bureaucracy, but actually does it. As Health Minister during the 1990s, Kan investigated his agency for allowing the use of blood that was known to be infected with HIV. Several government employees were arrested for their role in the scandal, and Kan himself made a public apology after the investigation concluded. Such assertiveness in dealing with the bureaucratic monster is unheard of in Japan and won him many supporters.Of course, Kan’s background alone will not be enough to lead Japan out of its current malaise. While in office, he needs to connect with the Japanese people in a way not seen since Junichiro Koizumi, the popular former prime minister who served from 2001-2006. Koizumi took office at the end of Japan’s “Lost Decade,” pledging to reverse the country’s economic stagnation of the 1990s. With charisma and charm, he ushered in daring reforms such as deregulation and privatization, much to the dismay of government bureaucrats as well as his own party. Despite the unpopularity of some of his specific policies, Koizumi still managed to leave office with an approval rating of 50 percent, the highest of any outgoing prime minister in the postwar era.Besides an outsider’s perspective and charming personality, Kan also needs to show some resolve. Rather than resign at the first sign of plunging approval ratings, Kan should articulate a plan and stick to it, even if it costs his party seats in an election. It is a risky strategy—especially given the voters’ reluctance to give their politicians a large margin for error—but it is exactly the kind of bold leadership that Japan needs at this critical moment.Relying on his background as a civic activist and bureaucracy fighter alone will not help Kan succeed. He must make a conscious effort to show the voters that he “feels their pain,” and then he must take decisive action. While the voters may not approve of everything Kan does in office, he will have their support if he appears concerned about the average citizen and confident in his policies. It may be a low bar to set, but it is one that has not been reached in four years of muddled leadership.With Kan, Japan just might have a fighting chance to turn itself around.The photo in this article is being used under licensing by Google Images. The original source can be found here.