Under the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)'s governments, Factionism prevailed into the LDP too much. Takesita Faction, the largest faction, cherished the greatest power over the LDP. In the Takesita Faction, Takesita, Shin Kanemaru and Ichiro Ozawa had the strong power, but recently Ozawa and Kanemaru used their appointive power in favor of their comrades rather than Takesita. When Kanemaru involved the money scandal of Sagawa Kyubin and stepped down from the Vice-President of the LDP and the president of Takesita Faction, the faction got into power struggle. Ozawa was accused for his despotic manner by its senior members backed by Takesita, but its junior members supported Ozawa. In the end the largest faction broke away. It was the first scene of the drama of Japanese political realighnment.
In June of 1993 the political reform bills brought about a split in the LDP, as well as in the Opposition Parties. The divion was mixed with the feeling of pro-Ozawa and anti-Ozawa. When the Opposition Parties proposed a vote of nonconfidence in the Miyazawa Cabinet, the promoters of the political reform and pro-Ozawa members of the LDP cast “yes” votes. They also quitted the LDP and formed new two parties, the Shinseito (Renewal Party) and the Shinto-Sakigake (Harbinger Party). It was the greatest division of the LDP since its establishment in 1955 and also the second scene of the drama.
Prime Minister Miyazawa resolved the Diet, but the results of the general election brought gain of seats for the new three parties including Nihon-Shinto (New Japan Party) and loss for the LDP. Ozawa persuaded to organize the “Political Reform Government” including Shakaito (the Social Democratic Party), Komeito (Clean Party) and new three conservative parties, and all heads of those parties, who became the Cabinet Ministers, shared power and responsibility. Prime Minister was chosen on the reason of the least critics from the parties forming the coalition government and it was Morihiro Hosokawa.
The next coming step of the political realighnment after the pass of the political reform bills, may follow two lines. One is an antagonism of the revisionists of the Constitution and the protectionists of the current Constitution. Another is an antagonism of the advocates of two-party system and those of the several parties system.
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