JAPAN: Son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi readies to debut in national politics

Record ID: 465288

  • Title: JAPAN: Son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi readies to debut in national politics
  • Date: 14th August 2009
  • Summary: YOKOSUKA, JAPAN (AUGUST 11, 2009) (REUTERS) SHINJIRO KOIZUMI, SON OF FORMER PRIME MINISTER JUNICHIRO KOIZUMI, GIVING CAMPAIGN SPEECH ON STREET PEOPLE LISTENING TO HIS SPEECH KOIZUMI'S FACE MAN LISTENING PEOPLE LISTENING KOIZUMI'S FACE KOIZUMI SPEAKING KOIZUMI SUPPORTER HOLDING LOUD SPEAKER KOIZUMI VOWING TO AUDIENCE AS HE FINISHES HIS SPEECH (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) SHINJIRO KOIZUMI, LOWER HOUSE CANDIDATE FOR RULING LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND SON OF FORMER PRIME MINISTER JUNICHIRO KOIZUMI, SAYING "As you all may know, the wind is blowing for the opposition and against the ruling party." TOKYO, JAPAN (FILE - 2006) (TV TOKYO - NO ACCESS JAPAN/CLEARED FOR INTERNET ACCESS/SEE ABOVE FOR FURTHER RESTRICTIONS) FORMER PRIME MINISTER JUNICHIRO KOIZUMI'S FACE KOIZUMI RECEIVING FLOWERS ON HIS LAST DAY IN OFFICE YOKOSUKA, JAPAN (AUGUST 11, 2009) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) SHINJIRO KOIZUMI, LOWER HOUSE CANDIDATE FOR RULING LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND SON OF FORMER PRIME MINISTER JUNICHIRO KOIZUMI, SAYING "I know there is an opposition to hereditary politics that I must overcome, and even though they may think family politics is not good, I will try my best to persuade as many people as possible that Shinjiro Koizumi is nonetheless worthy of support." KOIZUMI RUNNING AROUND SQUARE, ASKING LOCALS FOR SUPPORT (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) HARUE HIRATSUKA, 62-YEAR-OLD LOCAL RESIDENT, SAYING "I was a big fan of his father, Junichiro, so we have great hopes for his son." KOIZUMI SHAKING HANDS WITH SUPPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) CHIE YOSHIZAKI, 35-YEAR-OLD LOCAL RESIDENT, SAYING "The result of an election would have been obvious during the time of Junichiro Koizumi, but I don't know if people would give the same level of support to his son. Yokosuka is still one of the ruling party's strongholds, but there's no guarantee this time around." KOIZUMI'S RIVAL CANDIDATE KATSUHITO YOKOKUME CAMPAIGNING IN FRONT OF TRAIN STATION YOKOKUME WEARING SASH HANDING OUT CAMPAIGN FLIERS YOKOKUME GREETING MORNING COMMUTERS IN TRAIN STATION YOKOKUME HANDING OUT FLIERS (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) KATSUHITO YOKOKUME, LOWER A CANDIDATE FOR OPPOSITION DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF JAPAN, SAYING "My opponent has a strong power-base, name recognition and political funds, and he's a son of the former Prime Minister, so it will be a tough game for me." EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING HOUSING YOKOKUME'S OFFICE YOKOKUME'S CAMPAIGN POSTER (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) KATSUHITO YOKOKUME, LOWER A CANDIDATE FOR OPPOSITION DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF JAPAN, SAYING "But I have the common sense of ordinary people and a grassroots spirit. I'll bid on my experience as a child grown up in a truck driver's family and of having failed a college entrance exam and the national bar exam. Those experiences through with I can relate to ordinary people are my biggest assets." YOKOKUME RIDING BICYCLE GREETING PASSERS-BY YOKOKUME PEDALING BICYCLE MORE OF YOKOKUME RIDING BICYCLE
  • Embargoed: 29th August 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA1T2NG0I4YH9FHQMQ7I2U5UOCU
  • Story Text: The 28 year-old-son of Japan's popular former Prime Minister hopes to take over his father's legacy - and constituency - as he runs in Japan's general elections coming up later this month.
    Shinjiro Koizumi's political pedigree may give luster, but the 28-year-old son of the popular former prime minister may not get a free ride as he tries to take over a parliamentary seat from his retiring father, Junichiro Koizumi, who held the office representing Yokosuka, a city south of Tokyo, since 1972.
    Last year, Junichiro, a maverick reformist who once shook up Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party by vowing to destroy it, announced his plan to hand down power to his second son Shinjiro.
    While some of Koizumi's supporters welcomed the former premier's plan, the decision by one of the most reformist leaders in decades also disappointed many.
    "As you all may know, the wind is blowing for the opposition and against the ruling party," said Shinjiro.
    Such political dynasties are common in Japan, where around one in every five lawmakers have one or more parents or grandparents that were lawmakers.
    Out of the last seven Japanese premiers, all but one has been a son or grandson of former members of parliament.
    Candidates with family ties are often at an advantage in elections, inheriting not only the elder's support group and name recognition, but also access to campaign funds.
    This poses high barriers for talented but unknown potential candidates to enter into politics, and some experts say the hereditary tradition is a factor behind Japan's lack of political leadership, as the country confronts the deep-seated problems of ageing and a shrinking population.
    Shinjiro recognises some voters have grown tired of Japan's "seshu," or hereditary politics.
    "I know there is an opposition to hereditary politics that I must overcome, and even though they may think family politics is not good, I will try my best to persuade as many people as possible that Shinjiro Koizumi is nonetheless worthy of support," said Shinjiro.
    Still, some supporters said Shinjiro, who earned a master's degree at Columbia University, will always be his father's son.
    "The father, Junichiro, I was a big fan of, so we have great hopes for his son," said Harue Hiratsuka, a 62-year-old Yokosuka residence.
    But others say Shinjiro's bid to take over his father's seat may not be that easy.
    "The result of an election would have been obvious during the time of Junichiro Koizumi, but I don't know if people would give the same level of support to his son. Yokosuka is still one of the ruling party's strongholds, but there's no guarantee this time around," said Chie Yoshizaki, a 35-year-old local resident.
    Shinjiro faces an equally young Democratic Party candidate without family ties, Katsuhito Yokokume, a lawyer nicknamed "Sori", or prime minister, and son of a truck driver.
    The 27-year-old said it has been hard to break down the existing electoral power base that Shinjiro has inherited from his father.
    "My opponent has a strong power-base, name recognition and political funds, and he's a son of the former Prime Minister, so it will be a tough game for me," said Yokokume.
    Yokokume has been campaigning since last October, while Shinjiro hit the streets in late June.
    Sporting a worn-out pair of $30 sneakers and a 100 yen ($1) tie, Yokokume usually bikes around the district to meet voters. He believes his competitive edge over his lineage-holding opponent is his understanding of the average voter.
    "But I have the common sense of ordinary people and a grassroots spirit. I'll bid on my experience as a child grown up in a truck driver's family and of having failed a college entrance exam and the national bar exam. Those experiences through which I can relate to ordinary people are my biggest assets," Yokokume added.
    The deep-seated hereditary tradition in Japanese politics could change after the August 30 general election, as both the ruling and opposition parties call for a ban of such traditions in their campaign platforms amid rising criticisms among voters who are fed up with such tradition.
    But some experts cast a doubt on whether the "seshu" system can really be banned.
    About one in five Japanese lawmakers is the child or grandchild of an influential politicians, compared with less than one in 20 in the United States and Britain.
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