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“The Leading Democratic Party”

To choose a leader is one of our rights. In Japan, there are many people who are hoping to be part of the government. To be able to join they need to be part of a party where influential people are found. The Democratic Party of Japan, The New Komeito Party, and The Liberal Democratic Party are some of the parties in Japan. Of all of the parties, LDP stands superior although it is very unpopular to the people. The main question now is why has LDP been the most superior party among all the parties in Japan despite of fact that 44% of the Japanese people dislike LDP? What accounts for their longetivity?
According to Ethan Scheiner, a PhD degree holder in terms of Political Science, LDP has several forms of advantages. First is because of miracle economy. He has said that people support the LDP because of the fact that LDP established a firm economy for Japan all these years. Of course, people would give their support to LDP because they have made Japan an economically successful country. Second is because of their way of appealing to the people. LDP has a kind of strategy in which they can appeal to the very heart of the people. Their traditional Japanese way of appealing convinces people to votes for them. Third is because LDP makes policies which not only appeal the old voters, but also younger voters. All of these ways are indeed powerful ways of persuading people, but still, LDP is not popular and has not won majority of the votes since 1963.
How then can LDP win and have position despite of the fact that they are unpopular? Well, the answer is that LDP is good in choosing their candidates. Their best source of quality candidates is from the sub national office. According to statistical analysis done by Dr. Ethan Scheiner, LDP as a party is not popular to the people, but the people within the LDP are known to the people as quality leaders whether sub national of national. Also, former local politicians get 15 to 30% points more in vote casting, so they are carefully chosen by the LDP for them to have success.
The last question that needs be answered is why does the opposition not run more candidates with local office experience? Of course, the main answer to that is because few office holders belong to the opposition parties at the sub national level. Since LDP is the national ruling party, local politicians especially in the rural areas have incentive to ally with the LDP. If they do not support a ruling party, chances is that financial support will clearly dry up. Local leaders need funding for the areas where they are assigned. Without money, they cannot repair or build structures for the people. If they do not do this, people will become angry and cast them out of their positions. To avoid this, local leaders need connections from the government, a government that which is dominated by a ruling party.
Indeed, LDP has a pipe line between the government and the rural areas. The sub national level is the main grip of the LDP. As long as LDP dominates rural areas, it will really be difficult for the opposing arties to make headway.
In conclusion, LDP is an opponent that is difficult to fight with. Their strategies are just phenomenal. Their ability to appeal to the very core of human soul makes the Japanese people vote them. Furthermore, LDPS’s hold in the rural areas is like holding a human being by his or her life line which indeed makes them so much successful despite their unpopularity.