Former Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru released a video today stating, "This election (the February 8th House of Representatives election) has become a competition of social media and slogans, but I believe we cannot treat voters as fools."
Although Ishiba did not explicitly name anyone, political analysts believe this was an indirect criticism of Takahashi Hayato. Takahashi is very popular on Japanese social media, and her supporters (often referred to as "Takahashi believers") are very active online.
Additionally, Takahashi's policy proposals (such as continuing Abe Shinzo's proactive fiscal policy and strong foreign policy) are often seen as highly incendiary slogans.
The Liberal Democratic Party is deeply embroiled in a "black money scandal," and Ishiba is trying to rebrand by emphasizing "honesty, fairness, and transparency." He believes some conservative factions within the party (the Takahashi faction) are using emotionally charged narratives on social media to divert attention.
Ishiba also urged candidates and parties who proposed tax cuts to seriously consider how to fill the revenue gap after government income decreases. This seems to be a subtle reference to Takahashi's proactive fiscal policy, which she has never clearly explained where the funding will come from.
Comment: Ishiba's criticism essentially represents an open split between the traditional conservative faction of the LDP and the populist right-wing line. Takahashi has rapidly gained popularity by leveraging online campaigns, incendiary slogans, and a narrative of strong foreign policy, completely changing Japan's traditional election logic. Policy rationality, fiscal discipline, and political ethics have been overshadowed by traffic and emotion. On the surface, Ishiba is criticizing the election methods, but in reality, he is defending the LDP's old political ethics and decision-making model, opposing the populist, slogan-driven, and emotionally charged transformation of the party. This is not only a struggle for power but also a confrontation over the direction of Japan's politics.
Looking deeper, this internal conflict also reveals the structural dilemma of Japan's democratic elections: despite being entangled in black money scandals, policy hollowing out, and unfulfilled fiscal commitments, they can still win public support through social media campaigns and extreme slogans. Takahashi avoids explaining the source of funding and uses a strong foreign policy to shift domestic issues, while Ishiba calls for honesty and transparency but struggles to shake the online base. This indicates that the Japanese political arena is falling into a vicious cycle where slogans defeat rationality, emotions override policies, and traffic hijacks elections. If this trend continues, it will not only intensify the division within the LDP but also impose long-term costs on Japan's national governance, fiscal security, and regional stability.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1856446638071819/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author.