Commonwealth of LibertyBoard

The Norse were more progressive than athens

Bayern kahla wrote:

Mais tu parles d'état d'esprit mais dans ce cas ca s'arrête là. Je peux pas contrer des arguments d'état d'esprit. Je parle de faits, de réalité du fonctionnement de l'UE.

Зашто причате француски

Somerania wrote:

Зашто причате француски

He's French, as is Arcanda

Bayern kahla wrote:

Mais tu parles d'état d'esprit mais dans ce cas ca s'arrête là. Je peux pas contrer des arguments d'état d'esprit. Je parle de faits, de réalité du fonctionnement de l'UE.

Donc réponds-moi: Tu penses que parce que la loi dit que ça marche comme ça, alors ça va tout le temps marcher comme ça ?
Tu ignores délibérément la part humaine qui joue pourtant un rôle non-négligeable dans tous les aspects de la vie ?

Nicaragua por la liberación! ¡Aumento del ejército popular sandinista!

Heisei 25/21 August 2013

_{『新しい日本。』}
^{A New Japan}

^{東京都、大日本帝國}
TOKYO METROPOLIS, EMPIRE OF JAPAN
_{Imperial Diet, Nagatachō District}

_{Important Information: Here & Here. The events of "The New Shogun", including the fanatical radicalization of the masses & the cult of personality, are now retconned, since their only purpose was to serve the anticipated war effort; a war that has now never happened.
-
After Operation National Glory in March of 2011, General Masashi Tsuji, now a popular hero with an aura growing beyond the Japanese nationalists, all due to his failed assassination attempt, comes to power - This time openly, installing himself as Prime Minister following several arrests within the military, politicians, and the press, which all ensure his unopposed rule. The nation of Japan, tremendously affected by the 2008 financial crisis and the 2011 Great Sendai Earthquake & Fukushima Daiichi Disaster, accepts the rule of the military faction, otherwise known as the Gunbatsu. Patriotism is even more encouraged than before, and the military now exerts official or non-official control over all areas of lawmaking, business, and education. Support from the very young to the very old is assured through a varieties of pre-existing youth, veterans' and neighborhood associations. But with the world moving at a rapid pace and Japan's image deteriorating abroad, the Gunbatsu knows its rule will not last forever, unless profound changes take place. On 27 July 2013, therefore, Tsuji unexpectedly steps down as Prime Minister and calls for General Elections...}

| One could say that the nation was once again living through momentous times. For several years now, it had weathered crises of all sorts, but as the hot summer saw the nation's beaches and parks fill with families & workers on their days off, one could feel a renewed sense of pride. Flags flew high, minds were mostly at peace. Nationalism, a long trope of Japanese politics, had now seeped through all aspects of society. There remained little ways to escape the government's constant communication and control. But this rule was not one of terror. The country had, after all, remained a stable, if corrupt, democracy for several decades. Not a single political prisoner was sentenced to death, and non-lethal purges remained highly calculated, in a common effort from the collegial rule of the Imperial General Headquarters officers and the Liberal Democratic Party politicians to maintain order and national unity. Therefore, liberal and left-wing critics remained, although their largest press outlets like the Asashi Shimbun had been brought 'under control'. In keeping with this approach, Tsuji's authoritarian persona was framed as one of an enlightened, uncorrupted and strong-handed leader; but never deified like Petrov once was in the Soviet Union. But while morale was good, the economy kept stagnating, suffering - On top of all its original problems - from a deterioriating image of Japan abroad. This negative image had also come to concern Japanese citizens once again, as the effects of Tsuji's stabilizing rule started to fade. The population was ageing, slowly depleting the pools of labor and manpower. These problems, it seemed, needed fresh answers. |

| Campaign for the lower house elections began with the dissolution of the Liberal Democratic Party, as the last blow to the so-called '1955 System'. Running under the banner of the newly-created 'New Japan Party' ('Shin Nihon tō', abbreviated 'Shinitō') would be Shinzō Abe, a scion of that very system, a nationalist who now closely aligns with the Gunbatsu, one deemed clever enough to take charge - Yet not charismatic enough to overtake Tsuji's aura. Under the agreement formulated with the military, Tsuji would remain permanently in Abe's new cabinet as Minister of Defense and Foreign Affairs, two highly influential offices. From the start, the Tsuji/Abe 'ticket' gained quick momentum and high approval: Tsuji's consolidation of national unity, albeit through the ever-growing influence of the military, was hailed as a good thing, for Japan was previously failing and corrupt; similarly, the swift and aggressive trial of the Tepco corporate leaders who made possible the Fukushima Daiichi Disaster through their oversights was hailed as a high point of his tenure. Therefore, in this highly controlled environment, virtually no opposition stood strong enough to provide any meaningful challenge. The country had, de facto, turned into a single-party state. |

公式結果-8月12日の下院選挙（過半数には483議席のうち244議席が必要）
Official Results - August 12 House of Representatives Election (244 of 483 seats needed for a majority)
_{Turnout: 61.4%
(* denotes a new party)}

• New Japan Party - 新日本党 (*, created from LDP, governing coalition)
  ^{Leader: Shinzō Abe 安倍 晋三}
  Seats: 371

• Democratic Party of Japan - 民主党
  ^{Leader: Banri Kaieda 海江田 万里}
  Seats: 34

• Komeito - 公明党
  ^{Leader: Natsuo Yamaguchi 山口 那津男}
  Seats: 25

• Rising Sun Party - 日の出連合 (governing coalition)
  ^{Leader: Shintaro Ishihara 石原 慎太郎}
  Seats: 23

• Japanese Communist Party - 日本共産党
  ^{Leader: Kazuo Shii 志位 和夫}
  Seats: 2

• Independents/Minor Parties
  Seats: 28

| A coalition was seamlessly formed with the Rising Sun Party, a smaller nationalist formation. The damage done to Japanese institutions and the Empire's infamous, bloated bureaucracy was wide: During Tsuji's two years in power, bureaucrats had been disregarded or brought into the fold. The once-powerful power they held over Japanese politics was no more, and to the remaining politicians like Abe, such a fact meant quicker abilities to reform and finish the 'de-bloating' of the government. Abe was quickly re-appointed Prime Minister by the Emperor, and as of August 21, laid out his plans. The economics program is set to consist in 'three arrows': Monetary easing, fiscal stimulus and structural reforms. After Junichiro Koizumi's short-lived Four-Fanged Policy, which was still credited with Japan's recovery from the 2008 crisis, this meant yet more government intervention from the state, although compensated by Abe's promise to see through the privatization of Japan Post. His cabinet would be composed of several holdovers from Tsuji's 'National Salvation' cabinet: Toshimitsu Motegi as Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry; Shintaro Ishihara as Ministrer of National Rejuvenation; and Tarō Asō as Minister of Finance. As Minister of Defense and Foreign Affairs, Gen. Masashi Tsuji remained an important powerbroker, this time not constrained by the hassles of Prime Ministership. His stated goals were to complete the strategic reinforcement of Japan's borders and the military re-armament, notably by the upgrading of the air force. Albeit the Gunbatsu now holds power less overtly, it has acquired more leeway as a result of a better re-distribution of power, the best compromise so far to enable it to have a constant stream of funds and an enlarged ability to act on its own at the same time. |

Liberalina wrote:

Arcanda random question

Why do Japanese people keep electing Abe?

In this timeline it's actually his first time on the ballot.
IRL he isn't very charismatic from what I know but he's still a political heavyweight. Much like was the case in this timeline, the LDP is Japan's #1 party. A lot of connections and money. Right now there's simply no opposition credible/united enough to face Abe and he has wide support inside his party.

Paramountica wrote:

Abe is the best Prime Minister,

And I’m not just saying that because there are thousands of pictures of him and Obama together

that's such a het answer smh my head

Rhodique wrote:

Did a study on Japan, they have one really popular/powerful conservative party that has ruled japan since 1950 almost non-stop. The party acts sort of the way the Dems and Repubs acted under Clinton.

japan also has one of the largest still active communist parties of any democratic country

Luniten wrote:

they have the windows logo as well

tru tru