Introduction by Mototaka Ikawa At the end of 2023, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office's special investigation team began investigating the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) regarding a slush fund scandal involving party tickets. The illicit accumulation of funds was conducted on a factional basis, with the Seiwa Kai (Abe faction) and the Nikai faction becoming the focus. Then, in January 2024, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida declared the dissolution of the Kishida faction, to which he belonged. The Seiwa Kai and the Nikai faction also dissolved. For the Kishida administration, which had extremely low approval ratings, scandals involving "money" are a fatal blow. With few signs of an upturn in approval ratings, the LDP presidential election is scheduled for September 2024. This means a general election will be held. The current situation gives me the impression that it closely resembles the Aso administration, when the LDP was forced out of power. My prediction is that they will inevitably lose their majority. The LDP has experienced two existential crises in the past. The first was in the 1993 general election, when LDP lawmakers split, resulting in a loss of majority and the end of the "55-year system." The second was in the 2009 general election, when they suffered a crushing defeat and were forced out of power. The first time, they survived through the shameless method of forming a coalition with the Socialist Party and Sakigake, parties with whom they had no policy alignment. The second time, they achieved a miraculous comeback with the emergence of "Shinzo Abe" as a leader. We are currently in the midst of a third collapse. Considering that former Prime Minister Abe's unfortunate death, the only remaining path to survival is through "shameless methods." The possibility of repeating the past precedent of supporting Tomiichi Murayama as Prime Minister is high. - Omitted - The root cause of the LDP's downfall lies in the loss of a sense of nationhood among politicians. Consequently, acts of abandoning history, tradition, and culture are being committed. However, with constitutional revision, the establishment of new national defense in the face of China's rise, and the issue of female succession to the Imperial throne, Japan is faced with an overwhelming number of political challenges amidst this dire situation. I have examined each of these issues and derived a near-future scenario awaiting the LDP. I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. Katsuya Takasu, who readily accepted my request for a dialogue. Through our conversation, I was able to experience immense "wisdom." I am still enjoying reading it, even with the red ink. Thank you very much. February 2024 "LDP Collapse 2.8" Mototaka Ikawa / Katsuya Takasu List Price: ¥1800 #Mototaka Ikawa #Katsuya Takasu #Book #Society/Politics/Military