The Election of the Japanese Liberal Democratic Party President –the General Election is the Variable

▽General election can be a variable in the election of the party president. = Under the current composition of the seats at the Diet, the president of the Liberal Democratic Party will surely become the Prime Minister of Japan. However, centering on young voters, support for the major opposition party, the Democratic Party of Japan, is gathering fast, so there are some prospects that there will be a political reshuffle at the General election on November.

Approval rating of the Democratic Party of Japan, which only stayed at one digit number, soared to 30% range recently, with its merge with the Liberal Party. Also at the gubernatorial election in the Metropolitan areas, candidates from the Democratic Party of Japan were elected. Thus, current members of Liberal Democratic Party, who are forecasted to suffer difficulties at the General election, prefer the re-election Prime Minister Koizumi, who is popular among the Japanese people.

parkwj@donga.com