Friday, January 23, 2009

Mori wants Nakagawa out

I have chronicled divisions in the Machimura faction since May of last year, and I have written on several occasions of what I think is the impending destruction of the LDP's biggest faction, paraphrasing Monty Python last month to conclude that the faction is in fact an ex-faction.

The destruction of the Machimura faction proceeds apace.

In an interview with the Asahi Shimbun Wednesday, Mori Yoshiro, former prime minister and Machimura faction don, described criticism of the Aso government by Nakagawa Hidenao, a titular head of the faction, as a "total rebellion" and said he wants to see Mr. Nakagawa step down from his leadership post. He also said it doesn't matter whether Mr. Nakagawa leaves the faction. His job, Mori said, "is to protect Aso-san." As the self-appointed defender of the Aso government, Mr. Mori also offered his opinions on the timing of a general election (September if possible, but probably after the passage of the budget), whether Mr. Aso should be replaced before a general election (absolutely not), and the key to Mr. Aso's recovery (cabinet reshuffle). There's also a somewhat resigned tone, as Mr. Mori spoke of the possibility of Mr. Aso's being the LDP's last president.

The Mainichi Shimbun, meanwhile, has reported on the "gradual isolation" of Mr. Nakagawa within the faction. By isolation, I assume Mainichi means his isolation from the faction's leaders, because if they opt to drive Mr. Nakagawa opt, I suspect that he will take a good portion of the faction with him. Mainichi quotes Mr. Mori as accusing Mr. Nakagawa of sabotage, conduct unbecoming a faction chief.

This is an ex-faction.

2 comments:

Noah Smith said...

One thing I don't understand is from where Mori derives all this power and importance within the LDP. Does he have a core constituency or key interest group behind him? Yakuza ties?

Anonymous said...

Where does any parliamentary politician in any country derive his power and influence amongst his/her peers? I think it is just the fact that he has political nous and is probably just a good bloke (despite the fact that he was a really hopeless PM).