Aso indicates Diet dissolution this spring unlikely

Sunday 15th March, 03:36 PM JST

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

› Login to comment

10 Comments

930148mike at 06:30 PM JST - 15th March

It appears that neither major party leader, Prime Minister Taro Aso of the LDP, nor DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa, is ready to contest a Lower House Election at present. Mr Aso's popularity with voters is around 10% or less and several names have been put forward as his likely successor including Yuriko Koike, Nobuteru Ishihara, Yoichi Masuzoe and Kaoru Yosano. Mr Ozawa is under enormous pressure to resign as DPJ leader over the Nishimatsu Construction Company scandal and his potential successors include Katsuya Okada, Naoto Kan, Yukio Hatoyama and Seiji Maehara. The questions that emerge are who will be the principal leaders of these two major parties and what policies will they put before the Japanese people? Opinion is varied as to the answers to these questions, but it seems likely that neither Mr Aso nor Mr Ozawa will lead their respective parties during the next election and that both the LDP and the DPJ will campaign strongly on the same issues - reviving the economy and reforming the welfare system. Great efforts will be made to woo the all-important rural vote, where the DPJ has lately been making strong inroads into what has previously been LDP territory. Given these disconcerting factors, it is not surprising that Mr Aso has decided against calling a May or June poll. The times are not propitious. But then, given Japan's current political exigencies, when would be a good time to ask angry, worried and disillusioned voters for their electoral support?
IvanCoughalot at 08:01 PM JST - 15th March

Since when was June part of Spring?
smithinjapan at 09:41 PM JST - 15th March

Ivan: June is spring until the 21st, technically speaking, but I think in this case the deliberate use of 'spring' for June makes it seem like they can't do them right away, spring being around the corner and all. If they said summer it would make people angrier. Either way you slice the guy is an old fool who should be resigning, but that seems to be the majority of Japanese politicians in this day and age.
MeanRingo at 11:01 PM JST - 15th March

Sounds like someone wants to keep their dream alive just as long as he possibly can. na na naaaa na, na na naaaaa na, hey hey heyyyyy, Goodbye.
IvanCoughalot at 11:41 PM JST - 15th March

Smith - fair point, and well made. Thanks for the clarification.
cracaphat at 11:55 PM JST - 15th March

The DPJ should do like their American counterparts and jettison Ozawa for Maehara or Okada and talk about change.Out with the old and older and in with youth a la America. Even the Japanese don't want a 70 year like Yosano. That is not giving a signal of a brighter day.Though the McCane and Palin lovers would suggest otherwise.
telecasterplayer at 03:14 AM JST - 16th March

What's it going to take, Japan? Do a million people have to march on the Diet with demands for reform?
Simon_Foston at 01:24 PM JST - 16th March

What's it going to take, Japan? Do a million people have to march on the Diet with demands for reform?

You wouldn't get a million people to do it, and the politicians wouldn't pay any attention anyway. I think the bottom line in any country always tends to be, "Well, if you don't like what we're doing you were perfectly entitled to vote for someone else in the last election. It's too late to start making a fuss about it now."
apecNetworks at 04:54 PM JST - 16th March

PM Aso's low poll numbers really bothers me, but his dedication to get the job done is admirable. He is getting things done.
Simon_Foston at 11:22 PM JST - 16th March

PM Aso's low poll numbers really bothers me, but his dedication to get the job done is admirable. He is getting things done.

Such as throwing money away on pointless vote-buying gimmicks? I can't recall anything else he's achieved.