Japan Democrats' Hatoyama could be next PM

[Coventina]

Source: Reuters

TOKYO (Reuters) - Yukio Hatoyama stands a good chance of leading his party to victory over the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in a Japanese election expected on August 30, but may lack the dynamism to generate much excitement.

The Democrats picked the bouffant-haired Hatoyama to replace his scandal-hit predecessor in a May leadership race, seeing him as best able to hold the sometimes fractious party together.

He was not, however, the most popular candidate with the public, who saw him as being under the shadow of previous party leader Ichiro Ozawa.

Hatoyama attracts more support than Prime Minister Taro Aso in opinion polls, but many voters say they see neither as suitable to be premier.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE56C1PI20090713

[Q3JR4]

1. I've seen this story a few times

on the net and was curious as to what the difference was.

Wikipedia answers my question thusly:

Liberal Democratic Party: The LDP is Japan's largest political party and the senior partner in the current governing coalition. Prime Minister Taro Aso is a member of this political party. It is a conservative party and is made up of various conservative and reformist factions. The LDP has been in power almost continuously since 1955, when it was formed as a merger of early postwar Japan's two conservative parties, the Liberal Party of Japan, Occupation, and the Democrat Party of Japan, Occupation. The party is characterized as being very conservative on social and foreign matters.

Democratic Party of Japan: The DPJ is Japan's second largest party and leads the opposition. It was formed in the late 1990s as a result of the merger of several anti-LDP parties. Its membership covers a broad spectrum of political beliefs, but it is generally perceived as a social liberal party and its positions on key issues are liberal or social-democratic.

So maybe it will be a good thing?

Q3JR4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_Japan