Aso dissolves lower house for Aug 30 general election

Tuesday 21st July, 12:45 PM JST

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Osakadaz at 10:56 AM JST - 21st July

I heard that the DPJ are talking about confronting the issue of Japanese parental abductions and sorting out the mess that is the Japanese koseki system..anyone know if this is true? If so, that is a good enough reason for me to ask my wife to vote out the LDP.
telecasterplayer at 01:39 PM JST - 21st July

Aso and the LDP are incredibly unpopular right now, with sub-Cheney approval levels. If he really thinks he could do something to turn it around in 6 weeks, perhaps he should have started doing something 6 weeks ago.
Blue_Tiger at 02:03 PM JST - 21st July

Sorry to disagree, tkoind2, but I hope Japan DOESN'T get a leader like Prez O. Prez O. hasn't done much to change the USA away from Bush policy in his now-six months in office...
bobbafett at 02:18 PM JST - 21st July

Nothing will change. People in the cities may not like the status quo but they don't vote much either. People in the countryside who benefit from pointless public works projects that create jobs, revenue and huge agricultural benefits from tax funded subsidies would not like things to change at all and are more proactive voters.
TokyoGas at 02:28 PM JST - 21st July

So the sound vans repeating the candidates name over and over should be warming up right now. :(
JapanGeorgia at 03:10 PM JST - 21st July

Sorry to disagree, tkoind2, but I hope Japan DOESN'T get a leader like Prez O. Prez O. hasn't done much to change the USA away from Bush policy in his now-six months in office...

That's because he's only been pres for 6 months. You can't expect anyone to change anything in that short of time, especially as much work as he has to clean up the mess left by the last admin. Anyway, about Japan, I hope that things don't change here too much since it's nice the way it is. I would hate to see it get taken over by a totalitarian style government and everyone's freedoms get taken away.
MichaelJP at 03:47 PM JST - 21st July

Japan is... nice the way it is. I would hate to see it get taken over by a totalitarian style government and everyone's freedoms get taken away.

I don't think the DPJ is campaigning for a totalitarian government that will take away everyone's freedoms. Everyone is well aware of the destruction to freedoms caused by the disastrous Bush presidency and only nations like China and Iran want to go down that path.
Statistician at 03:47 PM JST - 21st July

DPJ will get a majority this time.
apecNetworks at 05:31 PM JST - 21st July

This is shaping up to be historic. LDP 303, DPJ 112 as of 07/21/09:

http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstStory/index.php?storyid=450576

For the DPJ to take power, they would have to have AT LEAST a landslide win, if not a complete rout of the LDP in the general elections. Historic as in the 1955 start of the "LDP Regime", or the "1960 Japan-US Security Treaty" incident. For the lucky few close to this event, it would be a "I was there" moment.
rajakumar at 06:31 PM JST - 21st July

39 days more only for DPJ and LDP. Have a good fight DPJ and LDP,only 39 days to do it.
Sarge at 10:06 PM JST - 21st July

"DPJ will get a majority"

I doubt it.
zurcronium at 10:44 PM JST - 21st July

Losing the pension funds of 50% of the Japanese people was the last straw for the totally corrupt LDP. Can you imagine that.

Dear Sir,

We know you are nearing retirement and have no doubt you paid for decades into the retirement fund but unfortunately we lost your records so we cannot pay you anything.

Thank you,

The LDP party
Sarge at 06:19 AM JST - 22nd July

zurcronium - The situation you described is a gross exaggeration. No one who paid for decades into their pension fund is going to get "nothing." They're going to get payments.
TokyoHustla at 06:39 AM JST - 22nd July

Aso dissolves lower house: LDP gears up for landslide win.
WhiteHawk at 01:38 AM JST - 23rd July

Hmmmm, right out of a dorama. In fact, I think I did see this in a dorama. Ironically, it was titled "Change". Lovely bit of fiction that was, with some decent acting.

tkoind2:

I was in the US on the last election night. For eight long years I had wished to see Bush and his clan of incompetent right wingers tossed out on their corrupt power mad behinds. And on election night I saw that happen and watched the people choose a new path. With voices filling the evening air, change came with the election.

And now we a clan of incompetent left-wingers who are corrupt and power mad. Plus, after campaining against McCain by calling him a "third Bush term", Obama has continued Bush's plans in Iraq and the surveillance program. Some "change".

JapanGeorgia:

That's because he's only been pres for 6 months. You can't expect anyone to change anything in that short of time,

Well, he's managed to increase the taxpayer's debt several times over. In fact, he did that in less than two months. Now we'll have crippling debt for generations, just to pay for this one administration, which is projected to spend more than all the administrations that preceded it combined. That's quite an accomplishment. Not a good one, but hey, that's what you get when elected people who pass bills without reading them.

Take advantage of this time and vote (if you're legal to do so). I know it's not the ideal system, but not participating and making your choice known only makes it less ideal. If your local candidate comes out to shake hands at train station or market, approach them and ask the questions on your mind. It really gets their attention.