They're outsourcing the Tea Party (Japan's "Happiness Realization Party")

[sakabatou]

From Molly Ball in the Atlantic

Aeba, one of the leaders of Japan’s right-wing Happiness Realization Party, was accompanied by Yuya Watase, the founder of the Tokyo Tea Party; their interpreter, a Happiness Realization Party official named Yuki Oikawa; and Bob Sparks, their American political consultant. Together, they said, they were on a mission to export American-style conservatism—the gospel of small government, low taxes, and free enterprise—to the Land of the Rising Sun.

The Tokyo Tea Party uses the same slogan as its American counterpart—“Taxed Enough Already”—and even goes by the same name (though I was assured that there was no danger of confusion with the traditional Japanese tea ceremony). Aeba’s Happiness Realization Party, meanwhile, is the political arm of a new-wave religious movement called Happy Science, whose founder claims to be a reincarnation of the Buddha. The Happies, as they are called, envision a Japan that is at once more muscular on the world stage—they propose eliminating the constitutional ban on waging war—and more religious at home. “The best analogy would be the Christian Coalition, Buddhist-style,” Sparks offered helpfully.

Yes, because that's what the world needs is a newly militaristic evangelical Japan.

[BanTheGOP]

1. The last time this was tried, our republican-mindset military used nukes in the end

The last time the republicanists in Japan tried this, they oppressively took over and destroyed Korea, China, and much of the Asian Pacific islands. Keep in mind this is a mindset that is part and parcel of the current American republican party. The only difference is now they have nukes.

This is serious. We need to do everything we can to undermine this aggressive use of a horrendous American Export and destroy the Tea Party wherever it raises its ugly ass head.

[Art_from_Ark]

9. Much ado about nothing

This "Happiness Realization Party" has negligible support in Japan. It's not even one of the "Top Ten" political parties in Japan, even though it has been in existence since 2009.

[BanTheGOP]

10. We displayed the same condescension as the teabaggers in the US too

...but in deference to your statement, the cretins here had the support of the 1%'ers, while in Japan it's much harder to back. Nonetheless, it is still extremely important to note EVERY step this miserable hunk of human douchebagness takes to ensure they don't light a fire that ignites its crap all over Asia.

This is why I'm in favor of a strong, progressive Chinese government to hold sway in the region for now.

[Art_from_Ark]

11. Japan has always had right-wingers in the post-war era

In 1960, for example, one of the main supporters of the Anpo (US-Japan Security) Treaty was stabbed with a samurai sword by an angry right-winger on national TV. Even today, there are right-wingers who like to drive around town in black vans or buses blaring old war songs, but the vast majority of Japanese think they're nuts. The support for this "Happiness" party is miniscule-- they can't even win a city council election, much less a national Diet election, and they don't even rank in the Top Ten political parties in Japan. The right-wingers with the most political clout are the Komei-to, and even then, support for them is only hovering around 3%.

And a strong Chinese government is BAD for the region, as evidenced by China's recent bullying of nearly all of its neighbors over territorial claims.

[BanTheGOP]

12. Sorry, disagree over your Chinese government fear

Your fear about the Chinese government is unfounded. To be blunt, the ONLY faction preventing an unfettered outbreak of manipulative, republicanist capitalism over the Asian region is a strong, progressive governement that enforces environment and economic laws that benefit the greater good. The "bullying" is a result of malcontents who want to create a repbulicanized version of orgiastic capitalism, creating another slew of impoverished millions. One can only look at the dismal "country" of Taiwan for this very thesis.

[SomethingFishy]

13. LMFAO...

yeah right....

[white_wolf]

14. China is as capitalist as anywhere else in the world...

so I'd hardly consider them a progressive force. Hell, even the Maoists have little good to say about modern China. China is a capitalist state pretending at socialism, nothing more.

[Art_from_Ark]

16. Here you're working yourself up in a lather about a miniscule political party in Japan

yet you say my fear of the Chinese government, which is currently building up its military and throwing its weight around in the region, is unfounded? This isn't the 1930s anymore. Japan isn't a threat to anyone, but China is a potential threat to all of its neighbors to the east and south.

[Art_from_Ark]

17. Chinese army general calls for decisive action against the Philippines

"People's Liberation Army (PLA) Major General Luo Yuan, in a commentary published by state-owned website china.org.cn, said China has not abandoned the idea of "war at all costs" to protect its interests."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014108579

Yeah, nothing to worry about with the Chinese government

[white_wolf]

2. Hmm, I find it odd they are using Buddhism.

Traditionally Shintoism has been the religious of Japaneses nationalists. Buddhism tends to oppressed by nationalists because they view it as foreign and non-Japaneses. I didn't see it in the article, but I wonder if they are emphasizing the Imperial Cult.

[Dawson Leery]

3. This tea party horror show needs to be stopped!

[HiPointDem]

4. there's always been a far-far-right in japan, touting the virtues of militarism and "traditional

values". it's not new, though this particular incarnation may be.

[Art_from_Ark]

5. I wouldn't worry too much about the Happiness Realization Party

They don't have anyone in the Japanese Diet (Parliament), and they don't seem to be able to win even a seat on a city council (their two most recent defeats being city council elections in Kagoshima City and Shinagawa-ku in Tokyo). Japanese aren't too keen on electing religious nuts to office.

[shimonitanegi]

6. Happiness Realization Party was founded by the new cult called "the Science of Happiness"

It is a cult like a tea party.

[Art_from_Ark]

8. And I think the vast majority of Japanese voters recognize them as a cult

They're not even on this list of political parties in Japan

http://www.jiji.com/jc/v?p=ve_pol_politics-support-pgraph

The list shows April 2012 support at 9.5% for the ruling Minshu-to (Democratic Party of Japan): 13.4% support for the Jimin-to (Liberal-Democratic Party); 3.3% for the Komei-to ("Clean Government Party", political arm of the Sokka Gakkai cult); 2% for the Communist Party of Japan; 0.2% for the Shamin-to (Social Democratic Party); 0.1% for the Kokumin Shin-to ("New People's Party&quot ; 1.6% for Minna no To ("Everyone's Party&quot ; 0% for Shin-to Nippon ("New Party of Japan&quot , Tachiagare Nippon ("Rise Up, Japan&quot , and Shin-to Kaikaku ("New Party Reformation&quot ; and 67.9% showing no support for any political party.

[MisterP]

7. right-wing, content-free, cultish, identical to Aum Shinrikyo yet they say they're deadly enemies

the DLC has come to Japan!

[hifiguy]

15. I can't see this becoming anything of significance.

It just doesn't seem or sound very Japanese.

There have been Japanese right-wingers for a long time. Yukio Mishima was spewing this sort of nationalist claptrap forty years ago and he wound up committing seppuku after trying to take over an army installation.

Meh.