The Struggle for Power

"The thing which most set off Yoshida from the other boys," said one of the Premier's old school friends, "was his infuriating air of superiority. He was small and thin, and his haughtiness constantly brought him beatings and cuffings from his mates." "Shigeru may not have the most appealing personality," agreed the Premier's father-in-law, "but he has backbone, and that's what counts."

In his seven years as Premier of Japan, 76-year-old Shigeru Yoshida has done more than any other Japanese to lift up his people from the rubble of defeat. He has faithfully steered Japan's new democracy between the extremes of left and right. He has led Japan, without bitterness, into the Western alliance.

But Shigeru Yoshida, a tiny (5 ft. 1 in.) man who wears antique wing collars, has also managed to irritate and inflame almost every Japanese who counts. He flourishes his urbanity. He delivers choicely worded insults with jolly grins, and autocratic taps of his cane. He visits the zoo, where he has likened penguins and monkeys to Japanese leaders and called out well-known names at them in his high-pitched squeak. In the Japanese Diet, Premier Yoshida will often drowse through the opposition speeches, sometimes bestirring himself to deal with questions: "I will not answer that."

Intricacy & Intrigue. For offended Japanese politicians, kicking out Shigeru Yoshida has long been a desirable but redoubtable project. Since the war, Yoshida's Liberal (actually conservative) Party has won five general elections: big business gives them ample campaign funds, and the farmers, pleased with high rice prices, give the Liberals their decisive popular vote. Within his Liberal Party, the Premier, who delights in political intricacy, has appointed or reshuffled no fewer than 104 Cabinet ministers so that no one might gather sufficient power to unseat him.

But last month, when Yoshida was touring the U.S. and Europe, a cabal of jealous Liberal Party members developed a new and promising intrigue: their idea was simply to re-form the conservative movement--without Shigeru Yoshida. Last week these conservatives brought their maneuver into the open, and Yoshida was in the fight of his life.

"Advance or Retreat." Hostilities began when Japan's No. 2 conservative, a 71-year-old cripple named Ichiro Hatoyama, led a sizable walkout from the Liberal Party. Hatoyama once led the party, had to turn it over to Yoshida when purged as "undesirable" by Douglas MacArthur, and never got the leadership back. Hostilities deepened when Mamoru Shigemitsu, 65, a crippled ex-war criminal who signed the surrender aboard the U.S.S. Missouri, withdrew the support of his right-wing Progressive Party from Yoshida, leaving Yoshida with only 183 votes in the Lower House of the Diet. The two dissident forces combined to form a big, new, conservative "Japan Democratic Party," with 124 seats and heavy business support. Many Socialists would probably vote with the Democrats. Almost overnight Yoshida was in trouble.

Confronted by a massed opposition, the Premier began a tactical withdrawal. "It would be highly unpleasant," wrote Yoshida to his remaining conservative associates, "should my actions give the impression . . . that I am hanging on to power. With the situation as it is, I ask you to deliberate . . . disregarding my personal advance or retreat for the time being." His associates deliberated and concluded: stay on for now as Premier, they said, but step down as Liberal Party leader. Said Yoshida: "I am in complete agreement."

Uncertainty & Suspense. Yoshida's long identity with the U.S. beginning with the occupation, now hurts him in the inevitable resurgence of Japanese nationalism. As for the new Democrats, they insist that they are not anti-American, only pro-Japanese. But their platform says:

P:Japan must restore some imperial privileges, must transform the Diet's Upper House into a semi-appointive body, must abrogate certain clauses of the democratic "MacArthur Constitution";

P:Japan must renegotiate its security agreement with the U.S.. must limit the U.S. right to Japanese military bases;

#182;Japan must develop a "positive, independent foreign policy." with strenuous efforts to "expand normal trade"--obviously with Red China.

Standing before an enormous Rising Sun flag in Tokyo last week, the Democrats' Hatoyama proclaimed: "I am stoutly opposed to Communism, and I am convinced it is not compatible with democracy, but I see no reason for cutting off trade and diplomatic relations with a country simply because it is Communist."

Shigeru Yoshida might yet prove able to outsmart his opponents. He could dissolve the Diet and force a new general election. He might resign in favor of Taketora Ogata, a trusted conservative junior ("my Eden"), and watch matters from the sidelines. His enemies, confident that they can at last strike him down, are nonetheless warily respectful of the old man's political skill.

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