Interview: “Democracy Threatened by Elected Leaders – Populism’s Illusion for Voters” [in Japanese]
On January 16, 2025, the Asahi Shimbun published an article titled “Democracy Threatened by Elected Leaders: Populism’s Illusion for Voters,” featuring an interview with Professor Maiko Ichihara of the Graduate School of Law. The article discusses potential shifts in U.S. democracy in light of the inauguration of a second Trump administration. Professor Ichihara highlights the tendency for populist regimes to become more perilous during their second term compared to the first, expressing concern that democratic backsliding in the U.S. could accelerate further. She points to several phenomena already evident during the presidential election, including the shrinking of free discourse in society, marked by media self-censorship, self-imposed restrictions by universities and think tanks that underpin academia, and the erosion of fact-checking mechanisms. Furthermore, Professor Ichihara addresses the potential ripple effects of democratic backsliding in the U.S. on the global stage. She emphasizes that for the U.S. to continue its role as a standard-bearer for democracy, it must seek ways to bridge societal divisions.
