Japan's PM Paves Way for Elections
July 21, 2009
The race has begun. Two rivals from influential political dynasties are vying for the position of Japanese prime minister.
Both of them descend from former Japanese prime ministers, who were themselves political enemies back in the early days of post-war Japan.
The members of Yukio Hatoyama’s Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ are firmly behind their leader. But Prime Minister Taro Aso has met resistance in his ruling Liberal Democratic Party, or LDP.
However, he is determined to win the elections: "Until now, the LDP has always gone into an election campaign under the flag of one leader. I will stand at the forefront and do everything to ensure we wage a decisive battle. I know that I am expected to work very hard for victory.”
Calls for Aso to resign
Earlier this month, the LDP suffered a heavy defeat in prefectural elections in the capital Tokyo that are considered crucial. There were calls for Aso to resign.
Critics thought the party might have a better chance to win the upcoming elections with a different leader at the helm. Some tactical manoeuvring on Aso’s part seems to have reduced the calls.
However, there is still some time before the end of August. And the official campaign only begins on 18. Aug. -- just 12 days before the polls are due to take place.
"There are some first signs that the government’s emergency measures are kicking in. But my cabinet knows that this information has not yet got through to the general population completely. So my main motto remains: the economy first," Aso recently said.
He hopes that quarterly figures predicting an improved economic climate will encourage the Japanese electorate to remain loyal to his party.
Voters in the mood for change
However, opinion polls suggest that there is a desire for change among the voters. The Mainichi daily newspaper published a poll on Monday which found that over 56 percent of voters wanted the opposition to win.
If the Democratic Party of Japan were to win, Yukio Hatoyama would become prime minister. He is a strong advocate for change: “People are claiming that the DPJ is talking about a change of government without explaining clearly what that means,” he recently argued at a political event.
“But we are not only using these terms, this is just the start for us. We have to change the circumstances in our country and look at the situation in the world and develop new ways of action accordingly. A change of power is a unique chance in 100 years."
Bureaucrats fear change
The LDP has run Japan for over 50 years except for an interruption in 1993 when a coalition government had power briefly.
Once a member of the LDP, Yukio Hatoyama left in 1993 and helped found the DPJ with his own private funds. The party was formed from different social democratic to conservative groupings.
Hatoyama has said that one of his major political aims is to limit the power of the bureaucrats and return the decision-making process to the politicians.
This ambition is making people jittery in Tokyo’s government district of Kasumigaseki.
Author: Peter Kujath/Anne Thomas
Editor: Thomas Bärthlein