LDP backtracks on franchise bill

By F.J. Khergamvala

TOKYO, OCT. 7. Japan's ruling coalition under Mr. Yoshiro Mori is rapidly backtracking on a commitment made to its own Korean residents and to South Korea, mainly because homework followed decision-making, rather than precede it. In an embarrassing and belated retraction, the coalition has delayed a move to debate granting adult franchise to the hundreds of thousands of Koreans living in Japan, even without their becoming naturalised citizens.

The loud right-wing, in identical sentiments expressed by the old guard within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the likes of the Tokyo Governor, Mr. Shintaro Ishihara, has now forced Mr. Mori and the coalition to back off from a hasty commitment. Though the controversy that surrounds the issue of voting rights for foreigners affects others too, the Korean community is the determining factor. The roughly 650,000 strong foreign community in Japan includes about 550,000 people of Korean origin. About 95 per cent of Koreans resident in Japan were themselves imported as labourers or are descendants of such imports. They are known as ``special permanent residents.''

A Bill that was brought before Parliament in the previous session and expected to be passed now, is now being shelved because its contents have split not just the ruling three party coalition but also the dominant LDP itself.

The Bill was introduced by the New Komeito, a coalition partner of the LDP. Mr. Mori supported it then. But the LDP realised quite late in the day that if it passes, the Bill would widen the power base of the New Komeito. The New Komeito, whose entry into the coalition was negotiated by Mr. Mori last year, is seen as the main beneficiary of any local enfranchisement of ethnic Koreans.

Two years ago, when the South Korean President, Mr. Kim Dae Jung came to Japan, he publicly suggested in a speech that Japan grant voting rights in local municipal elections to those ethnic Koreans who were forcibly brought to Japan as labourers during World War II or before, or their descendants. Since then Mr. Kim has kept the heat on the Japanese.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : International
Previous : Bill to remove shackles  on Japanese Navy
Next     : Indo-Fijians in statute panel branded `traitors'