One step at a time

While traditional Japanese parties have traditional sounding names like “Liberal Democratic Party” or “Democratic Party of Japan” that have absolutely no bearing on the actual party policies represented thereby, some of the new parties that have formed in the past few years are way better. With glorious names like “Stand Up Japan!” or “Everybody’s Party,” “People’s Life First,” and now “Party of the Sun,” one can only hope for grandiose new times ahead for Japanese politics.

太陽の党結成 石原氏、 「既存政党との『関ヶ原』 に挑む」 2012.11.13 22:26 新党「太陽の党」の結成を発表する共同代 表の石原慎太郎前東京都知事＝１３日午 後、東京・紀尾井町のホテルニューオータ ニ（大里直也撮影） 石原慎太郎前東京都知事とたちあがれ日 本は１３日、石原氏とたちあがれの平沼赳 夫代表を「共同代表」とする新党「太陽の 党」を結成した。石原氏は同日夕、都内 のホテルで記者会見を開き、次期衆院選前 に日本維新の会やみんなの党と合併するこ とを視野に入れた「大同団結」を急ぐ考え を改めて示し、「既存政党と新たな『関 ケ原の戦い』に挑む」と表明した。 石原氏は「かねがね国政に大きな不満を 抱いていたが、このまま衆院選になると、 自民、公明両党が過半数を取りかねな い。許せない」と発言。「太陽の党はほん の一過程にしかすぎない。必ず衆院選の前 に大同団結する。太陽の党が吸収され、 消えても構わない」とも述べた。自身の芥 川賞受賞作「太陽の季節」に似た新党名に ついては、「たちあがれの園田博之幹事長 の発案だ」と強調した。 綱領には、自主憲法の制定や国の危機管 理体制の立て直し、教育基本法に基づく 「国民の育成」を目的とした教育の振興な どを盛り込んだ。 記者会見に先立ち、たちあがれは、政党 名を太陽の党に、党の代表を平沼氏から石 原氏に変更すると総務相に届け出た。 http://sankei.jp.msn.com/politics/news/121113/stt12111322270018-n1.htm

At Party of the Sun’s formation, Ishihara says “I want to challenge the existing parties to a ‘Sekigahara’”

Former Tokyo Mayor Shintaro Ishihara and Stand Up Japan! party representative Takeo Hiranuma announced on the 13 th the formation of a new party, “Party of the Sun.” At a hotel in Tokyo, Ishihara held a press conference and reiterated his desire to quickly enter into a “united coalition” with the Japan Restoration Society and Everybody’s Party before the next Lower House elections. “I challenge the existing political parties to a ‘Battle of Sekigahara’,” he said.

Ishihara said, “I have lately come to hold a deep dissatisfaction with politics, but if I let the Lower House elections happen, the LDP and Komeito will take likely get a majority. I can’t allow that. The Party of the Sun is nothing more than part of the process. We must form a coalition before the next Lower House election. Even if the Party of the Sun is absorbed or disappears, it won’t matter.” Regarding the resemblance of the new party’s name to his own Akutagawa Prize-winning novel, “The Season of the Sun,” he explained that it was Stand Up Japan!’s Party Secretary Hiroyuki Sonoda’s idea.

The party platform contains the following planks: writing an autonomous constitution, reforming the country’s disaster response administration, promotion of “The People’s Education” based on basic education law.

Prior to the press conference, Stand Up Japan! notified the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications that its name was changing to Party of the Sun and its representative from Hiranuma to Ishihara.