Support for Kan falls to new low

The cycle continues over and over again. This has happened before and will happen again. Give the new PM less than 6 months before people demand resignation of him/her.

"The survey by Kyodo News agency released Sunday " the media doing a poll ??? they media are part instrumental in the PM revolving circus. The media have to much power not only here in Japan but worldwide. They know most people believe what they publish,and thats the problem. The "Media Barons" as they like to call themselves are egomaniacs, wielding to much power, including government decisions, Rupert Murdoch and Silvio Berlosconi are a couple of examples that spring to mind, no country is exempt when it comes to this media power. But I wonder, is this power waning with the growth of the internet or are we facing another powerful tool to influence people ?????

You gotta love it! They want Kan out desperately, but ask anyone whom they want to replace him and they become deer in headlights. It's usually a good idea to find someone who can drive the ship before you toss the captain overboard.

Exactly Smith. Also, ask them precisely what they would have expected Kan to do and you get the same reaction. There was complaining about relief efforts. If there was some option Kan failed to exercise with regards to that, I would love to hear what it was.

About a month ago Maehara had 5% support when people were asked who they would prefer as the next PM and now he's suddenly up to 28%. "Fickle" is the ideal word to describe the Japanese people when it comes to politics. We know that the next leader will see a support rate of about 60% immediately after being elected, falling to around 20% within six months.

And despite Kan's 15.8% approval rate he is sure to be re-elected in the next election, along with all the other clowns like Mori, Aso, Abe, Hatoyama etc who also scored similarly low in the ratings. If all these people are so unpopular why do people keep voting them back into parliament? Why say that someone is useless one minute and then vote for them the next? The voters must be a bunch of idiots.

Oracle: "If there was some option Kan failed to exercise with regards to that, I would love to hear what it was."

Better yet, ask people who point out Kan's failures to explain how others (and they don't know whom) would have succeeded. Some would say Ozawa would not have failed, but those people tend to think Ozawa somehow descended from heaven and can do everything right (though of course they have no idea what or how... they just KNOW!).

Anyway, it's sad... Japan's going to have a new PM within a few months, and the exact same crap that's going on now will continue, though probably worse. Then a few months later the next PM (presumably Noda), will have his approval ratings fall, the LDP will demand his resignation and dissolution of the Lower House for an election, and it'll be more dead-lock in the government while our taxes go to election campaigns instead of relief for the Tohoku area. The system here clearly does not work.

smithinjapan, another thing we agree. Very interesting and yes the dog pack will soon be upon any new PM.

smithinjapanAug. 22, 2011 - 09:30AM JST

The system here clearly does not work.

The only part I disagree with. I think the problem is the people, voters and those that choose to run for office, not the system itself.

Maehara, who resigned in March over an illegal political donation, has not declared his candidacy

I am not sure if he gets an endorsement by two Godfathers; Mr. Criminal Ozawa and Mr. Space-Cadet Hatoyama. US probably welcomes Maehara to be a next PM while Ozawa and Hatoyama are for the "One Asia" plan.

Pray for Japan.

Oracle: "The only part I disagree with. I think the problem is the people, voters and those that choose to run for office, not the system itself."

Yes and no. If it were as it is in the USA and other countries where the people pick the PM directly, then I would agree with you wholeheartedly. As it is, I do agree with you on the apathy part, and the stupidity of your average voter here, but the revolving door of the PMs is chosen by the house itself, and they line up and recycle each other constantly. True, the people do put them in there to play musical chairs, hence the yes and no.

Also, as I've said on other threads, there is a MAJOR lack of proportional representation in most areas of Japan. For example, if you wanted to vote for Komeito or The Happiness Realization Party, say, then in many smaller towns you could only vote either LDP or DPJ because they are coalition and the aforementioned parties have no ability to run candidates on their own. That's one reason it's always those two parties vying for power. So again, if you wanted to vote Komeito, despite hating the LDP rep you have two choices: vote for a person you don't like or don't vote, adding to the poor voter turn-out.

I think you would see a bit of a change in the voting pattern and level of responsibility of the person to become PM if you could vote directly, but that'll never change without any major revolution.

Also, as I've said on other threads, there is a MAJOR lack of proportional representation in most areas of Japan. For example, if you wanted to vote for Komeito or The Happiness Realization Party, say, then in many smaller towns you could only vote either LDP or DPJ because they are coalition and the aforementioned parties have no ability to run candidates on their own. That's one reason it's always those two parties vying for power. So again, if you wanted to vote Komeito, despite hating the LDP rep you have two choices: vote for a person you don't like or don't vote, adding to the poor voter turn-out.

Major lack of proportional representation???? There are 180 seats for proportional represenation in the lower house. There are 50 seats for proportional representation in the upper house. If a voter's district didn't have a Komeito candidate, he can simply vote Komeito under proportional representative vote while not voting on the candidates. As a result, the said voter still "turned in" his/her vote.

I keep hearing how Kan exhibits a "lack of leadership", yet I remember critics complaining when he decided to declare that Japan would move away from nuclear power. The complaint was that he acted on his own without getting approval from the myriad committees that have their claws in the national policymaking process. Whether it was a good or bad decision, it was one Kan made and he showed true leadership in putting it out there without getting "permission" to do so. A leader decides what is best for the people he leads, then tries to implement it.