New Democratic leader an “unknown but positive” change
Japanese paper comments on Renho Murata’s nomination at the helm of Japan's main opposition party. For Fukuoka priest, “everyone in Japan thinks only about the economy. We’ll have to wait to see what she decides”. A former model and TV anchor-woman, she is Taiwanese on her father’s side. This is good change in the country’s evolution.
Tokyo (AsiaNews) – Renho Murata is an “unknown but positive” change. Her nomination represents progress against gender discrimination and nationalism. Born to a Taiwanese father, it is nice to see her at the helm of the Democratic Party, said a brief editorial in the Mainichi Shimbun on Japan's political situation today.
Renho Murata is 48 years old and already known to the Japanese public. After a career as a swimsuit model and TV news presenter, she took over two days ago the leadership of the main opposition party, the centre-left Democratic Party, beating two other competitors. Today she named her deputy, former Prime Minister Noda.
On the short run, her major political challenge is to decide whether to continue the alliance with smaller opposition parties such as the Communists, or run alone.
In accepting her nomination, she said that her party’s priority was to re-establish itself as a serious alternative to the Liberal Democratic party (LDP), which together with its junior coalition partner dominates both houses of parliament.
“From here on, we face a giant ruling party,” she said after the vote. “I’d like to call on everyone to join me in creating a party that does not criticise but makes proposals ... so that one day we will become Japan’s choice.”
Elected to parliament in 2004, Murata plans to participate proactively in constitutional reform groups. If she wins, she will not touch the pacifist character of the Constitution.
The issue is strongly felt across the country, given the successful attempts by the current Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to give the Japan Self-Defence Forces a more active combat role.
Before she was elected party leader, Murata faced a minor controversy concerning her nationality. Since her father is Taiwanese, she had dual nationality. However, under Japanese law, dual nationals must choose one nationality before they reach 17, although not choosing is not a crime. Murata said she would give up her Taiwanese citizenship.
“Her nomination is a good sign,” Fr Shinzo Moriyama, of the diocese of Fukuoka, told AsiaNews. However, “everyone in Japan thinks only about the economy. They’ll have to wait to see what she decides in the matter. She stated that he wants to fight the conservative party, and that she would do her best but that she is not sure what she will be able to obtain. It is a start."
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