As we enter the final week of the year, Japan’s political world is in utter turmoil due to the hidden funds scandal involving political fundraising parties. I have consistently raised alarms about the deterioration of Japanese politics on various occasions. Since the Abe administration, I have felt a deep sense of crisis, witnessing how Japan’s political system has rapidly begun to fall apart in unprecedented ways.
I have strongly criticized, through various online media outlets and other platforms, the repeated unconstitutional acts, violations of laws, false statements, refusal to answer questions, disregard for the Diet, cover-ups, falsifications, and data tampering carried out with impunity. It has felt as though anti-social forces have taken control of the government.
What’s more troubling is that even when those in power commit serious wrongdoings, the police and prosecution rarely conduct thorough investigations, and the media often downplays or ignores these issues. As a result, these scandals typically end with superficial accountability—cutting off the proverbial lizard’s tail—without addressing the root causes. I have long felt frustration over this lack of proper scrutiny.
This time, however, the widespread hidden funds scandal involving the Liberal Democratic Party’s political fundraising events reinforces what I have been pointing out all along: that these warnings were not unfounded. Individuals who prioritize personal gain over the public good, who lack a fundamental respect for the rule of law, and who believe they can do anything as long as they don’t get caught—or even if they do, that they can cover it up, brazen it out, silence dissent, and count on the public to soon forget—such people are utterly unfit to hold public office. Under such leadership, responsible governance is simply impossible.
From a personal standpoint, I believe that the long-standing misgovernment under the Abe, Suga, and Kishida administrations has already inflicted irreparable damage on this country. Japan’s national identity and its international standing are shifting in a significantly negative direction.
Rather than blaming a weak opposition, each citizen must recognize that if we continue to silently condone this kind of politics, the consequences will inevitably come back to haunt us. It is vital that we speak out against injustices and things that simply do not make sense, rather than turning a blind eye or remaining silent.
I sincerely hope that this scandal will serve as a turning point, and that Japanese politics will finally hit rock bottom and begin to change for the better in the coming year.