(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Few people in Japan want to see a power-sharing deal between the governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), according to a poll by Asahi. 48 per cent of respondents would oppose forming a coalition government incorporating the country’s two main parties, while 36 per cent would be in favour of it.

In September, Yasuo Fukuda—a 71-year-old moderate who favours closer ties with Asia—was elected as the new leader of the LDP and officially sworn in as Japan’s prime minister, substituting Shinzo Abe. Fukuda served as chief cabinet secretary during the premierships of Yoshiro Mori and Junichiro Koizumi. He is also the son of former Japanese head of government Takeo Fukuda.

An election to renew half of the House of Councillors seats took place in July. 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.

In the September 2005 House of Representatives ballot, the LDP—led at the time by Koizumi—elected 296 lawmakers to the 480-seat lower house. The LDP is supported by the New Komeito Clean Government Party (Kt).

Late last month, DPJ leader Ichiro Ozawa hinted at possible collaboration with the LDP, and even threatened to resign when senior party members rejected his plan.

On Nov. 13, Ozawa ultimately ruled out seeking a coalition with the LDP even if either party fails to win a majority in the next lower house election, declaring, "If the LDP and New Komeito do not win a majority, the opposition parties would have a majority and form a non-LDP/New Komeito government. In that case, the Democrats would probably be the biggest party. (...) If we are the biggest party, the opposition parties can form a government on their own."

An election to the House of Representatives is technically not due before 2009, but differences in the legislature could trigger an early ballot.

Polling Data

Do you support or oppose forming a coalition government which would incorporate the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ)?

Source: Asahi
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 2,088 Japanese adults, conducted on Nov. 3 and Nov. 4, 2007. No margin of error was provided.

Archive Search

Over 19,600 Polls
Search the Angus Reid Global Monitor Polls & Research archive.