Aso elected LDP president

Monday 22nd September, 03:05 PM JST

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

Latest 15 of 35 Total Comments Show All

noborito at 11:11 PM JST - 22nd September

Like Americans with "Bush the sequel" will Japanese people stupidly follow the LDP again? Probably yes.
chibaman at 11:45 PM JST - 22nd September

The LDP crowd in one of the prefectural representative blocks voted for Ozawa! Ah the benefits of anonymity - you can be a tough guy with no repercussions.
OssanULTRA at 11:46 PM JST - 22nd September

Aso is a bloody disgrace. His families' mining company during WW2 used >and abused POW labor for profit

Unless Taro Aso himself was personally involved in this I really don't see how that's relevant to judging him as a person or as a politician.
realist at 01:13 AM JST - 23rd September

The election of Aso is a sad day for Japan and the Japanese people, who had no say in his election. Aso was chosen by the group of right wing Fascists who have ruled over this country for the past 5 decades. "Democracy" does not really exist here, because the people are brainwahsed from birth. Choosing this man as leader of the worlds second largest economy will only speed its decline to becoming the worlds 5th or sixth largest economy. His right wing policies will do nothing but speed Japan`s decline into the political and economic backwaters of the world. It will be interesting to see in the next few weeks if what another poster above prophesied - that he will be off to see Bush in America to get his orders. Japan is the lapdog of America, after all, and it is the USA who is to blame for the current diabolical political system in this country. It suits the Americans to have the LDP in power here, and the poor brainwashed Japanese do not have the guts or the intelligence, sadly, to vote these losers out of power.
rjd_jr at 01:43 AM JST - 23rd September

While I would agree with you Ossan, a leader of such a prominent nation as Japan should do the right thing in at least acknowledging what his families' company did in the past. Because it's the right thing to do, and to deny or ignore it is impractical considering the extreme baggage it is and the potential problems it will cause your immediate neighbors. It really is not that hard of a thing to do. PM Koizumi did some pretty amazing things in terms of expressing apologies for what Japan did during WW2, the last thing we need is someone to take things back.
OssanULTRA at 02:24 AM JST - 23rd September

PM Koizumi did some pretty amazing things in terms of expressing >apologies for what Japan did during WW2, the last thing we need is >someone to take things back.

So, you believe that Taro Aso as PM would take back everything his predecessors have done? Destroy the current Sino-Japanese relationship that has been built? You believe that PM Aso would not apologize the way Koizumi did and snicker we'll do it again? Please, let's get real. This is politics and diplomacy and Taro Aso has been Foreign Minister without starting WWIII. Even Hu Jing Tao has made his position clear that a new PM isn't going to wreck what China has worked hard to achieve.
OssanULTRA at 02:25 AM JST - 23rd September

The election of Aso is a sad day for Japan and the Japanese people, who >had no say in his election. Aso was chosen by the group of right wing >Fascists who have ruled over this country for the past 5 decades.

This makes as much sense as saying the Aryan Nation and the KKK have ruled the United States for decades. Nonsense.
rjdsr at 02:28 AM JST - 23rd September

Interesting how foreigners seem to think this is somehow bad news, but the Japanese are overjoyed by word of Aso taking the reigns. He will preach Japanese pride, the role Japan has to play as the leader of Asia, and Japan's deepening connections with the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

He comes from lineage the average person can respect, and is a self-made politician who earned his way to the top. The only people taking potshots at him are not from this country, and by doing so betray their lack of understanding of Japan.
chibaman at 02:44 AM JST - 23rd September

...a self-made politician who earned his way to the top. The only people taking potshots at him are not from this country, and by doing so betray their lack of understanding of Japan.

Wrong, wrong, and partially wrong. I will agree with you on one thing. The DPJ is no saviour for the foreigner in Japan. All frustrations will not disappear if their day of victory ever comes. As far as daily life is concerned, very little will change. If what Aso's family did in the past, for example, bothers you today, then you probably have too much time to ruminate in various ways, and I suggest you just leave. chibaman has made such a decision. The rants to continue for just a little while longer.
rjdsr at 03:35 AM JST - 23rd September

The DPJ is no saviour for the foreigner in Japan.

So? The Japanese government is elected to serve the 99% of the population that is Japanese. If anyone else wants a "saviour" (sic) they better naturalize.
chibaman at 03:49 AM JST - 23rd September

If anyone else wants a "saviour" (sic) they better naturalize.

Please explain to me how this makes any sense.
taikan at 05:01 AM JST - 23rd September

If, as is widely expected, Aso calls for a lower-house election in the very near future, the Japanese people will have an opportunity to voice their opinion of the selection of Aso and the manner in which the LDP has been governing the country. Undoubtedly there will be many Japanese people who vote for DPJ candidates rather than LDP candidates, just as there were many Americans who voted for Gore or Kerry rather than Bush. However, if the LDP wins the election, that should serve as adequate evidence of the Japanese electorate's views.
JoeBigs at 10:37 AM JST - 23rd September

Banzai, Banzai, Banzai!!!! Out with the old kiss up in with new strong! I for one am over joyed that Aso is now the leader of the LDP other than that kiss up!

I just hope that he sticks to his guns and does not give into the kiss ups in the LDP.
rjdsr at 01:28 PM JST - 23rd September

Chibaman,

The Japanese government is not elected to serve the country's foreign population. It's that simple.
drugger at 12:28 AM JST - 25th September

Folks, when consider what "peacefully rising" China has been doing to Japan, it is extremely critical for Japan to remain economically and millitarilly strong. In light of real threats from China's ambiguous military rise, the Aso administration will sure fit in the deals with Beijing's prefferable hide and seek martial games while compromising with the opponents. As a person who deeply concerned over SouthEast Asia's security, I cordially invite everyone to visit and comment on vietwill.org Your patronage is appreciated.