this post was submitted on 04 Apr 2026
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A lot of their modernization was well before neoliberalism (and also becoming neoliberal is not skipping liberalization anyway).
Obviously they did have a real and meaningful communist movement at one point that was suppressed by fascists, criminals, etc., but that notably did not mean Japan was socialist in an overall sense at the time and certainly does not mean so now.
The JCP is basically worth supporting, but it also notably has never taken power and at its apex electorally has only received 13% of the vote (which is not an attack on their efforts, of course, they have a tremendously uphill battle that they've fought for a century), and since they're demsocs I think that's indisputably a fair standard to measure them by. They have influenced positive change, but they really haven't made Japan reflect the title "'National' Socialist," as you said.
Social democracy is not socialism. No amount of scraps are equivalent to a seat at the table.
That is a fair critique. I am not saying they are there. I am saying they have positive elements we lack and that is cool and we should appreciate. We have fewer of those as a people than they do so there is probably something to learn there