(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Many people in Japan would consider putting the country’s future in the hands of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), according to a poll by Yomiuri. 39 per cent of respondents would back the DPJ in this year’s legislative election, down two points since May.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Many people in Japan would consider putting the country’s future in the hands of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), according to a poll by Yomiuri. 39 per cent of respondents would back the DPJ in this year’s legislative election, down two points since May.
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is behind with 29 per cent. 32 per cent of respondents remain undecided.
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 Taro Aso won an internal leadership ballot and was sworn in as Japan’s new prime minister.
On May 13, Ichiro Ozawa, leader of the opposition DPJ, tendered his resignation over a fund-raising scandal. On that same day, deputy chief cabinet secretary Yoshitada Konoike—a close aide to Aso—stepped down after a news publication revealed that he took his mistress on a holiday using an official rail travel pass.
On May 16, Yukio Hatoyama defeated Katsuya Okada in an internal ballot of DPJ lawmakers to become the new DPJ leader.
On Jun. 23, LDP lawmaker Taku Yamamoto said he has collected 216 signatures in a petition to hold an early leadership ballot in order to replace Aso before a general election takes place. Yamamoto declared: "Lawmakers are doing their best to explain their achievements to the public, but they are criticized because of the prime minister."
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
Which party would you vote for in the proportional representation election?
|
|
Jun. 2009 |
May 2009 |
Apr. 2009 |
|
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) |
39% |
41% |
30% |
|
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) |
29% |
27% |
27% |
|
Other / Not sure |
32% |
32% |
43% |
Source: Yomiuri
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 1,057 Japanese voters, conducted from Jun. 5 to Jun. 7, 2009. Margin of error was provided.
