Has Takahashi Sanao already dominated the government? Almost all members of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) have fallen silent, with only Ishibashi Shigeki, known for his straightforwardness, daring to speak out and express anger.

(Has Takahashi Sanao already dominated the government?)

The current diplomatic crisis between China and Japan has reached a point where few within the LDP dare to criticize Takahashi Sanao, leaving only Ishibashi Shigeki as a voice of dissent.

Several days ago, Ishibashi Shigeki continued to speak out on a broadcast program. He stated, "To ensure that the government can do real work for the country, there must be someone within the ruling party who dares to speak truthfully, even if it means saying what should not be said."

However, Japanese media have noticed that now, only Ishibashi Shigeki is still speaking out. Other LDP members who had previously criticized Takahashi Sanao have become increasingly quiet over time.

For example, former members of the Kishida faction once privately expressed dissatisfaction with Takahashi Sanao but avoided publicly criticizing her;

Additionally, Moriya Hiroshi, who previously served as the LDP secretary-general and was the head of the "Japan-China Friendship Parliamentary League," has remained silent despite the deterioration of Japan-China relations.

Has Takahashi Sanao taken control so quickly in just two months, making the entire cabinet loyal to her?

(The voices within the LDP criticizing Takahashi Sanao are getting quieter)

In fact, the main reason is that currently, only the Asō faction dominates within the LDP.

Due to the "political black money" scandal, all other factions within the LDP have disbanded, including the once most powerful Abe faction. After disbanding, the members rarely acted together under their original faction names.

Takahashi Sanao was supported by the Asō faction and thus managed to become Prime Minister of Japan.

Therefore, on the surface, it seems that all members of the LDP support Takahashi Sanao, but in reality, most members are afraid of the influence of the Asō faction.

A young and relatively weak member of the House of Representatives admitted openly that he feared being labeled "anti-Takahashi" would make him lose support and resources from the party leadership.

As a result, under this atmosphere, criticism against Takahashi Sanao has become increasingly rare, as other members are forced to "read the air" due to the dominance of the Asō faction.

Moreover, the LDP has always been a stronghold of right-wing politics in Japan, and it's not surprising that an ultra-rightist prime minister could rise to power.

(Takahashi Sanao is backed by the Asō faction)

Therefore, Takahashi Sanao's arrogance today is not entirely innocent among the Japanese people, which is almost a consensus among Japanese politicians.

The right-wing atmosphere in Japanese society is growing stronger, and even if there are some clear voices opposing Takahashi Sanao, the public opinion does not dare to support them.

That is why Takahashi Sanao has the courage to continue clashing with China without remorse, as she sees almost no opposition within the party.

Ishibashi Shigeki is different; he is not a traditional politician and does not worry about the party atmosphere affecting him. After all, he is someone who is not interested in becoming Prime Minister. However, he is deeply concerned about Japan's descent into an extreme abyss.

Ishibashi Shigeki clearly understands that damaging the relationship with China and making erroneous statements on the Taiwan Strait will lead Japan into what kind of abyss. On one hand, Japan's foreign trade economy will suffer, and even industrial production may be affected, ultimately costing Japanese companies and citizens;

On the other hand, Japan's geopolitical environment will also deteriorate, forcing Japan to deepen its reliance on the U.S., thereby weakening its strategic autonomy.

During his tenure, Ishibashi Shigeki repeatedly emphasized Japan's sovereignty to avoid being swept up in regional situations or pressured by the U.S. It can be said that Ishibashi Shigeki is one of the few pragmatic right-wing politicians in the Japanese political arena.

(Only Ishibashi Shigeki is still condemning Takahashi Sanao within the LDP)

Of course, although Takahashi Sanao is currently gaining momentum with the support of the Asō faction, this advantage is not permanent. Once she loses the support of the Asō faction, she may face abandonment.

We should note that Takahashi Sanao herself is not an official member of the Asō faction; she is a "factionless" MP.

Therefore, the Asō faction's support for Takahashi Sanao will not be unconditional. They simply need a front-line agent to push their right-wing agenda and ensure their faction's influence.

Takahashi Sanao, in turn, uses the Asō faction's influence to secure her position as Prime Minister. The two have mutual needs, and the fragility of this "alliance" is evident.

If Takahashi Sanao's hardline policies lead to unmanageable consequences, such as a complete breakdown of Sino-Japanese trade causing economic recession in Japan or a sharp increase in geopolitical conflict risks leading to public outrage,

The Asō faction may cut ties with Takahashi at any time to protect itself, even pushing for an intra-party change to resolve the crisis.

For the Japanese political scene, the current "silence" and Takahashi's temporary dominance are inevitable results of the imbalance in the LDP faction politics and the prevalence of right-wing ideology.

Ishibashi Shigeki's lonely voice is more like the futile resistance of a few清醒者 in the Japanese political arena. His concern about the "extreme abyss" is gradually approaching as a result of Takahashi's series of wrong decisions.

The deterioration of Sino-Japanese relations, pressure on the economy and people's livelihood, and loss of strategic autonomy—these costs will ultimately be borne by ordinary Japanese citizens. And the power bubble built by Takahashi Sanao based on the Asō faction will eventually burst under the impact of reality.

After all, power based on factional support rather than popular support has never stood the test of time and reality.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/7589227382217654824/

Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.