| |
 |
Japanese maverick on way to election
|
TOKYO--Junichiro Koizumi, a wavy-haired, rock-music fan who relishes his image as a lone wolf, appeared set on Monday to claim the prime minister's job, having stymied the governing party's political machine with a populist revolt.
The expected election Tuesday of Mr. Koizumi, 59, to head the governing Liberal Democratic Party - and thus become prime minister - may be a death knell for the old-style faction politics by which the party has ruled Japan for nearly 46 years, some political observers in Tokyo say.
Mr. Koizumi rode a surge of victories in local party primaries that by Monday had steamrollered the party's strongest political faction and former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, the candidate picked by back-room power brokers.
Late Monday, the Kyodo news agency, citing unidentified sources, reported that a governing party power broker, Shizuka Kamei, would withdraw from the race and support Mr. Koizumi, virtually assuring the maverick's victory. As of Monday, Mr. Koizumi was reported to have won 123 of the first 141 votes that are intended to reflect the sentiments of the 2.3 million party members in Japan's 47 prefectures. The party chapters in the prefectures each have three votes, and local officials are supposed to cast those votes based on the results of the polls taken among members.
The grassroots votes alone are not enough by themselves to elect Mr. Koizumi. But political analysts said that with the backing of Mr. Kamei and even a handful of his 55-member faction, Mr. Koizumi was virtually assured of taking a majority of the total of 487 votes.
“The magma is moving,” Mr. Koizumi said Monday. “Something is happening the party members could never imagine: People are driving the LDP members, and the LDP members are driving the party. That is a total reversal of the past.”
Mr. Koizumi campaigned on promises to reform politics and reform the economy. That appeals to younger party members who fear voter wrath from a public that gives the party's current head, Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, an abysmal 7 percent approval rating.
After a year in office marked mostly by verbal embarrassments, Mr. Mori will step down Thursday and his successor will form a new cabinet.
|
|
|
|
