(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Most people in Japan shun the country’s current political leaders, according to a poll by Yomiuri. 14.8 per cent of respondents think former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi would be the best candidate to become head of government again, practically unchanged since February.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Most people in Japan shun the country’s current political leaders, according to a poll by Yomiuri. 14.8 per cent of respondents think former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi would be the best candidate to become head of government again, practically unchanged since February.
Health, labour and welfare minister Yoichi Masuzoe is second with nine per cent, followed by incumbent prime minister Taro Aso with 7.1 per cent, and opposition leader Ichiro Ozawa with 6.5 per cent. 62.6 per cent of respondents say none of these leaders is a suitable candidate for prime minister, up 2.9 points since February.
Aside from a brief period in the 1990s, the Liberal Democratic Party (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 Democratic Party of Japan (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 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—had been urged to resign earlier this year after his chief aide Takanori Okubo was accused of accepting close to $212,000 U.S. in illegal donations from Nishimatsu Construction.
On May 11, Ozawa announced he would step down as leader of the opposition, declaring, "I have decided to sacrifice myself and resign as party leader, to strengthen the unity of the party. I believe it is imperative that we win the elections." Ozawa had been the DPJ’s leader since 2006
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 be the most suitable choice for prime minister?
|
|
Apr. 2009 |
Feb. 2009 |
|
Junichiro Koizumi |
14.8% |
14.4% |
|
Yoichi Masuzoe |
9.0% |
7.5% |
|
Taro Aso |
7.1% |
4.7% |
|
Ichiro Ozawa |
6.5% |
13.7% |
|
Other / Undecided |
62.6% |
59.7% |
Source: Yomiuri
Methodology: Interviews with 1,782 Japanese adults, conducted on Apr. 25 and Apr. 26, 2009. Margin of error is 2.2 per cent.
