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Japan - News Archive

Opposition Ousts Japan's Long-Ruling LDP

Posted: 09/02/2009
Japan’s opposition Democratic Party (DPJ) will lead that country’s government for the first time since 1994, following landmark lower house elections last weekend. The DPJ gained 195 seats in the House of Representatives, and the Liberal Democratic Party, which has ruled the country since 1955 except for an 11-month interlude, lost 177 seats. Yukio HATOYAMA, expected to become Premier, has reached out to other small opposition parties in order to form a coalition. There are no existing rules governing transfers of power, but leaders from both factions have jointly pledged a smooth transition.

Source: ElectionGuide

Opposition Woos Japan Voters With Costly Vows

Posted: 08/04/2009
As elections near, the Democratic Party of Japan is attracting voters with promises of more cash in hand.

Read full story. Source: NYT > International

Japan PM apologises for failures

Posted: 07/21/2009
Japanese PM Taro Aso apologises for his party's defeat in local polls after dissolving parliament ahead of August elections.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Japan's PM dissolves parliament, calls elections

Posted: 07/21/2009
TOKYO (AP) -- Prime Minister Taro Aso dissolved the powerful lower house of Japan's parliament Tuesday and vowed his divided ruling party will make a new start in national elections next month despite forecasts it may lose the grip it has held on the nation for most of the past 55 years....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Japan's ruling party defeats no-confidence motion

Posted: 07/14/2009
TOKYO (AP) -- Japan's ruling party defeated a no-confidence motion Tuesday against the prime minister's Cabinet, but an increasingly bold opposition used the occasion to heap criticism on the government it aims to oust in national elections next month....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Facing Party Rift, Japan's Premier Calls Election

Posted: 07/14/2009
Prime Minister Taro Aso said he will call elections next month after his embattled Liberal Democratic Party suffered a bruising defeat.

Read full story. Source: NYT > International

Japan's ruling party could lose power in elections

Posted: 07/13/2009
TOKYO (AP) -- The political party that has governed Japan for the last 50 years could be ousted from power in national elections next month - with the opposition boosted by worries over the economy and gaffes by the ruling party....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Japan PM Orders Early Parliamentary Elections

Posted: 07/13/2009
Seeking a renewed mandate, Prime Minister Taro ASO has called for Parliamentary elections on August 30, a month ahead of schedule. ASO’S Liberal Democratic Party has dominated Japanese politics for many of the last 54 years, but economic troubles have strained the LDP’s popularity. The opposition Democratic Party of Japan won a majority in the Tokyo prefectural assembly on Sunday, an outcome analysts view as a bellwether for upcoming national elections. Japan’s Parliament has been in deadlock since opposition politicians won control of the country’s upper house in 2007.

Source: ElectionGuide

Japan's main opposition tastes victory

Posted: 05/25/2009
TOKYO: - The success of a candidate backed by the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) in a key mayoral election suggests that Japan's largest opposition group may be on track to victory in the country's next general election.

Read full story. Source: Straits Times Interactive - ASIA

Leader of Japan's Opposition Resigns

Posted: 05/12/2009
Ichiro Ozawa said he wanted to prevent a campaign financing scandal involving one of his aides from hurting his party's chances.

Read full story. Source: NYT > International

Aso Confirmed as Japan's Prime Minister

Posted: 09/24/2008
Taro Aso, a veteran politician who fought for years to win Japan's top political post, was officially named prime minister on Wednesday.

Read full story. Source: NYT > International

In Japanese election, populist appeals and claims of political theater

Posted: 09/17/2008
It is not clear that Japan's Liberal Democratic Party's push for reform is anything more than a show.

Read full story. Source: Asia - Pacific - International Herald Tribune

Japan searches for a new prime minister, again

Posted: 09/01/2008
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan began searching for a new prime minister on Tuesday after Yasuo Fukuda became the second leader to abruptly resign in less than a year, threatening a further policy vacuum as the economy teeters on the brink of recession.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Fukuda installed as Japanese PM

Posted: 09/25/2007
Japan's parliament formally declares veteran politician Yasuo Fukuda as new prime minister.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Japan's Fukuda runaway leader in premiership race

Posted: 09/17/2007
TOKYO (Reuters) - Yasuo Fukuda emerged as runaway leader to become Japan's next prime minister on Monday after a survey of ruling party lawmakers who must choose between the 71-year-old veteran and his hawkish rival Taro Aso next weekend.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Japan's leadership race hots up

Posted: 09/14/2007
The race to succeed outgoing PM Shinzo Abe hots up, as two key candidates announce they plan to run.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Japanese prime minister resigns

Posted: 09/12/2007
Shinzo Abe resigns as Japanese prime minister after a bruising election in July and poor poll ratings.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Prime Minister Shinzo ABE Resigns

Posted: 09/12/2007
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo ABE of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) announced on September 12 that he would resign after less than a year in office. His popularity began to drop after scandals involving senior ministers and after his party lost the upper house elections earlier this year. His resignation came one week before he was expected to answer to parliament over plans to extend the Japanese naval mission in support of US-led operations in Afghanistan. The LDP is set to meet on September 19 in order to elect a new PM.

Source: ElectionGuide

Japan PM rapped by party for huge election loss

Posted: 08/24/2007
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was sharply criticized by his own party on Friday for a huge election loss last month, with the party saying he was seen as out of touch with voters' interests.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Japan PM to stay after poll defeat

Posted: 07/30/2007
TOKYO (Reuters) - Hawkish Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed to stay in his post despite a crushing defeat for his ruling camp in an upper house election, but policy gridlock loomed and Abe's grip on his job was uncertain.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Ruling party defeated in Parliamentary elections

Posted: 07/30/2007
The official results of the Parliamentary elections gave a hard blow to PM Shinzo ABE’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The LDP and its ally the New Komeito (NK) party received only 37 and 9 seats respectively, falling short of the 64 seats needed to maintain their majority in the 242 seat House of Councilors. On the other hand, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) won 60 seats in this election, thus giving the opposition a majority of 140 seats. Despite the defeat, Prime Minister ABE said he would not resign.

Source: ElectionGuide

Japan PM seen battling to keep job after election

Posted: 07/25/2007
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's backers are trying to set the stage for him to keep his job if his ruling bloc gets trounced in a parliamentary election on Sunday, but analysts wonder whether the strategy will work.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Campaigning starts in Japan polls

Posted: 07/12/2007
Campaigning is under way for Japan's upper house polls, with PM Shinzo Abe aware a defeat could cost him his job.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Japan approves constitution steps

Posted: 05/14/2007
Japan's parliament passes legislation that paves the way for a referendum on revising the pacifist constitution.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Japan PM-to-be Abe eyes cabinet, faces challenges

Posted: 09/21/2006
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's prime minister-to-be, Shinzo Abe, turned his attention on Thursday to the line-up for his cabinet amid concerns about how the hawkish, youthful leader will cope with diplomatic and economic challenges ahead.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Japan's Abe set to become PM

Posted: 09/20/2006
TOKYO (Reuters) - Shinzo Abe, a conservative advocate of a more muscular Japanese foreign policy, was overwhelmingly elected ruling party leader on Wednesday, setting the stage for him to be chosen as prime minister next week.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Japan's ruling party chooses Abe

Posted: 09/20/2006
Japan's ruling party elects Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe as next leader, and likely prime minister.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Japan's Abe announces candidacy

Posted: 09/01/2006
Shinzo Abe, the front-runner in the race to be Japan's next leader, formally announces his bid for the job.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | Asia-Pacific | World Edition

Japan's Abe running for PM

Posted: 09/01/2006
HIROSHIMA, Japan (Reuters) - Shinzo Abe announced his candidacy on Friday to be Japan's next prime minister, a post he looks certain to win, and said he wanted his country to forge a stronger role on the world stage and improve ties with Asia.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Japan opposition picks leader

Posted: 04/07/2006
Japan's main opposition Democratic Party elects veteran politician Ichiro Ozawa as its new leader.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | Asia-Pacific | World Edition

Japan opposition leader resigns

Posted: 03/31/2006
Japan's main opposition leader announces his resignation over unfounded claims against his opponents.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | Asia-Pacific | World Edition

Japan Announces Election Results

Posted: 09/15/2005
Prime Minister Koizumi's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) won a landslide victory in the Lower House election on September 11. The LDP secured 296 seats, while its coalition partner New Komeito won another 31 seats. Prime Minister Koizumi called snap elections in August, after his postal reform bills were rejected in the Upper House of the Diet. Koizumi refused to allow 37 members of the LDP who voted against the reform to run as LDP candidates. With 68% of the lower house, the ruling coalition is now in a position to move forward in the disputed reform process.

Source: ElectionGuide

Japans Calls Early Parliamentary Elections

Posted: 08/11/2005
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has called early parliamentary elections for September 11 after he lost a vote on postal privatization bills in the Upper House of the Diet. The bills were a key element of his economic reform package to help economic recovery.

Source: ElectionGuide

Japanese PM Announces Dissolution of Parliament

Posted: 09/29/2003
On September 25, Prime Minister Junichiro KOIZUMI announced that he will dissolve parliament in time for parliamentary elections on November 9.  According to the electoral commission, the prime minister is required to call parliamentary elections prior to June 2004.

Source: ElectionGuide

Japan's LDP to Elect New Leader on December 10

Posted: 12/10/2002
One of Japan’s top political parties, the Liberal Democratic Party, will elect a new leader on December 10 to replace Yukio HATOYAMA. Elections were called when HATOYAMA announced his resignation last week, due to previous election setbacks and criticisms about merging the party with a rival party.  The two candidates contesting the position are Naoto KAN and Katsuya OKADA, both of whom are viewed as providing little or no change to the party’s platform.

Source: ElectionGuide


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