Japan opts for strong security

After the voter backlash it suffered over its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was always certain to lose seats in Sunday’s election. It is, however, to the credit of new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, in office for less than a month, that the losses were kept to just 15 seats. Far from being humiliated, the party that has dominated Japanese politics since 1955 will continue in office with an expected majority of 261 of the 465 seats in the lower house of the Diet. With the support of its smaller partner, the Komeito Party, the LDP has the numbers to pass crucial legislation and to maintain Japan’s strong alignment with the US and other democracies, including Australia, in confronting Chinese militarism and aggression across the Indo-Pacific.

Before Mr Kishida took over after the brief, ill-starred interregnum of former prime minister Yoshihide Suga, such an outcome appeared unlikely. Under Mr Suga, what was described as “listless” government handling of the pandemic drove down LDP support to dangerous levels. Mr Kishida’s success in reversing the spiral was remarkable. It will restore stability and provide new momentum to a government that appeared to lose its way over the pandemic. His promise to build a “new kind of capitalism” to reduce Japan’s inequalities clearly resonated with voters. So did his strong line on Japan’s strategic imperatives, including his announcement last month that a re-elected LDP government will double Japan’s spending on defence, from 1 to 2 per cent of GDP, to $US100bn. By global standards that is a big rise. With pre-election polls showing 82 per cent of Japanese regard China as a threat, it was the right decision.

Mr Kishida, wisely, heeded the advice of respected former prime minister Shinzo Abe, who still wields considerable influence in the LDP, especially on strategic policy. Mr Kishida has made it clear he is determined to promote Japan’s defence of a “free and open Indo-Pacific”, while working alongside the US, Australia and India in the Quad arrangement. Locally and internationally built aircraft carriers, surveillance drones, F-35 stealth fighters, submarines, warships, missiles and cyber and other systems crucial to 21st-century warfare are on the shopping list for Japan’s Self Defence Forces. Officials have recently warned a Chinese invasion of Taiwan will potentially represent an existential threat to Japan. In backing the LDP with its strong defence agenda, voters have heeded that warning.