April 11, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - A majority of adults in Japan believe a lower house election would be justified if the upper house censures the prime minister, according to a poll by Mainichi. 55 per cent of respondents think Yauso Fukuda should dissolve the House of Representatives if the House of Councillors passes a motion against him.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - A majority of adults in Japan believe a lower house election would be justified if the upper house censures the prime minister, according to a poll by Mainichi. 55 per cent of respondents think Yauso Fukuda should dissolve the House of Representatives if the House of Councillors passes a motion against him.

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

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.

In September 2007, Yasuo Fukuda 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 Koizumi. He is also the son of former Japanese head of government Takeo Fukuda.

Yesterday, Fukuda criticized the DPJ’s decision to reject his nominee for the post of Central Bank deputy-governor, saying, "You control one of the two houses and share political responsibility. What you are doing is called abuse of power. We have been calling for talks. But the opposition and the Democratic Party cannot make decisions. We are having such difficulty handling parliamentary affairs here." DPJ leader Ichiro Ozawa urged the government to "adjust to the current political reality."

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

What should Yasuo Fukuda do is the House of Councillors passes a censure motion against him?

Dissolve the House of Representatives and hold an early election	55%
Nothing; the motion does not compel him to call an early ballot	21%
The Fukuda cabinet should resign en masse if the motion is passed	19%
Not sure	5%

Source: Mainichi
Methodology: Interviews to 1,061 Japanese adults, conducted on Apr. 5 and Apr. 6, 2008. No margin of error was provided.