Miki v. the Lords

Premier Takeo Miki is regarded in Japan as a mild-mannered and even distressingly passive leader. Last week, however, he displayed a streak of combativeness worthy of a samurai. Facing a concerted effort by bosses of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to force his early resignation, Miki defiantly announced during a televised press conference that he would refuse to step down prematurely. He also abruptly canceled a scheduled meeting with Party Vice President and Elder Statesman Etsusaburo Shiina, 78, that was widely expected to be the showdown between the Premier and his foes.

Miki's tough talk was the latest act in a prolonged, almost Kabuki-style drama that pits him against most of the Daimyo (feudal lords) in his own party. For weeks the top L.D.P. leaders have actively been involved in intense rounds of misshitsu seiji--Japan's characteristic brand of "sealed-room politics." The bosses are convinced that Miki is weak and ineffectual and may lead the party to disastrous losses in the national elections that must be held before the end of the year. There are, however, some difficult complications that have enhanced Miki's staying power. The ever growing Lockheed scandal, with its implications of bribetaking in high places, has convinced some L.D.P. bigwigs they should move cautiously against the Premier.

Mr. Clean. Miki has been criticized within the party for proceeding too slowly, and independently, in investigating Lockheed-related wrongdoing. Miki's supporters counter that the real worry of many in the L.D.P. is that the Premier's careful investigation will badly tarnish the reputations of some important party figures. Party Vice President Shiina is well aware that in the public mind, efforts to dump Miki are seen as part of a Lockheed cover-up by a party that only two years ago was jolted by the worst scandal in its history--the resignation of Miki's predecessor Kakuei Tanaka after disclosures of large-scale corruption.

Miki has been trying to enhance his image as the Mr. Clean of Japanese politics. Since taking over the government in 1974, he has been free of the taint of wheeling and dealing that has made the Japanese public increasingly cynical about its leaders in general. He played on this theme last week at his press conference by accusing the party bosses of dictatorially trying to control events through an agreement among themselves. That may prove to be a persuasive point with the public. A recent poll conducted by the Kyodo News Service indicated that only 12% of the Japanese people thought Miki should step down, while 64% felt he should remain in office until the fall.

Despite Miki's image as an honest political maverick, most Japanese cynically believe the question of his tenure as Premier will eventually be decided in the usual L.D.P. manner--by a backroom bargain. In large measure, this is because the party is a diverse umbrella organization including everything from right-wing nationalists to non-Marxist leftists; among its 274 members in the Diet are businessmen dabbling in politics, full-time politicians, a sprinkling of former civil servants and even entertainers. The L.D.P. has roughly half a dozen major factions, and like feudal fiefdoms of old, they are constantly forming and dissolving alliances--and buying support with generous amounts of money.

The L.D.P. works rather like a brokered American political convention, with most of the major decisions being made by the heads of the powerful factions. At the same time, the system strongly encourages deference, even obedience, to tradition and the bureaucratic party machine. It is unusual, if not impossible, for a nonEstablishment figure to soar to the top by virtue of sheer popularity.

Thus, however much Miki tries to take his case to the public, he still has the faction leaders to contend with. After all, he benefited from sealed-room politics in 1974, when the L.D.P. bosses, rocked by scandal, and factionalism, turned to him as a compromise candidate to succeed the disgraced Tanaka. Now, too, compromise could be the key concept. One possible outcome of the entire affair: party leaders would agree to let Miki stay in office until the Lockheed investigation is concluded--but only if he agrees to step down as Premier before the general elections.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.