※Translated with Notion AI. (Plus version)
Currently, the Liberal Democratic Party’s presidential election in Japan, which is drawing attention in Japanese politics, has the highest number of candidates in history.
However, am I the only one who feels that the pledges made by the candidates seem to lack realistic solutions?
Even though only LDP members have voting rights, this is an occasion to choose a leader who will be responsible for the country’s future, and I feel a tinge of anxiety about the unimpressive pledges.
On the other hand, the US presidential election across the ocean is extensively reported in Japan daily, with a flood of information constantly flowing in.
Despite the different political systems in Japan and the US, it’s a curious phenomenon that many Japanese people show strong interest in the US presidential election.
However, simply comparing elections makes no sense at all.
Moreover, we don’t even have voting rights.
Now might be the time for us to calmly organize our thoughts about politics.
For those who already have detailed knowledge about politics, this article may not be necessary.
However, for those who want to deepen their understanding of politics even a little, shall we think about it together?
I’d be delighted if this could be a time for making slightly wiser choices.
Why is US politics important for Japan? It’s not just because of deep economic ties.
Living in a global world, we need to have knowledge because US policies greatly influence Japan’s economy and diplomacy.
Still, it’s utterly meaningless to talk based only on superficial emotions like “I dislike that presidential candidate.”
In the Japanese education system, unless you major in political science at university, there are limited opportunities to learn about the US presidential election system and its historical and social background.
That’s why we often see situations where opinions are exchanged without sufficient knowledge.
However, as members of a mature society, isn’t it our responsibility to have an understanding of at least the basic political system?
While you can research the US presidential election in books and on the internet, to save time, I’ll briefly explain the system here.
It’s a bit more complex than Japan’s, but it’s not a difficult topic at all.
What is a Two-Party System?
