(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Many people in Japan dislike the only two men who could become prime minister later this year, according to a poll by Yomiuri. 32 per cent of respondents prefer incumbent Taro Aso of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) as head of government, down 25 points since last October.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Many people in Japan dislike the only two men who could become prime minister later this year, according to a poll by Yomiuri. 32 per cent of respondents prefer incumbent Taro Aso of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) as head of government, down 25 points since last October.
Ichiro Ozawa of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) is second with 23 per cent, down three points in five months. Almost half of respondents choose neither of the two politicians.
Aside from a brief period in the 1990s, the LDP has administered Japan’s government for more than five decades. An election to renew half of the House of Councillors seats took place in July 2007. Final results gave the opposition DPJ 60 of the 121 seats at stake, with the governing LDP winning 37 mandates. The opposition—with 137 seats—now holds a majority in the upper house of Japan’s Diet for the first time since the LDP was founded in 1955.
Since the retirement of Junichiro Koizumi, Japan has had three different LDP leaders and prime ministers. Shinzo Abe served from September 2006 to September 2007, and was replaced by Yasuo Fukuda. In September 2008, Fukuda announced he would step down as he felt "swamped" by the country’s issues. Foreign minister Aso won an internal leadership ballot and was sworn in as Japan’s new prime minister.
Ozawa—a former member of the LDP—has been head of the opposition party since 2006. Ozawa has been urged to resign after his chief aide Takanori Okubo was accused of accepting close to $212,000 U.S. in illegal donations from Nishimatsu Construction.
On Mar. 30, Yukio Hatoyama, the DPJ’s second in command, commented on Ozawa’s situation, saying, "To achieve a change in government is our greatest mission and if Mr. Ozawa wants to continue I will support that. But I told Mr Ozawa that when the election draws close, if that looks difficult (…) then we should both promise to take responsibility."
The next election to the House of Representatives must be held on or before Sept. 6, 2009. Sitting prime ministers can dissolve the Diet and call an early ballot at their discretion.
Polling Data
Who would you prefer as prime minister?
|
|
Mar. 2009 |
Oct. 2008 |
|
Taro Aso (LDP) |
32% |
57% |
|
Ichiro Ozawa (DPJ) |
23% |
26% |
|
Not sure / Other |
45% |
17% |
Source: Yomiuri
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 1,048 Japanese voters, conducted on Mar. 25 and Mar. 26, 2009. Margin of error was provided.
