Japan's ruling party reels from sudden resignation

The Jakarta Post | Tue, 09/02/2008 8:33 AM | World

The leaders of Japan's hobbled ruling party scrambled Tuesday to find a new standard-bearer to lead them into elections after the embattled prime minister abruptly stepped down.

Attention focused intensely on former Foreign Minister Taro Aso, 67, a right-leaning political blue blood who was considered the top-runner for next prime minister. He is currently secretary-general of the ruling party.

Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, 72, announced late Monday he would quit after less than a year in office, the second premier in a row to last barely 12 months in the job. Fukuda suffered throughout his term from low support ratings.

Fukuda, Aso and other Liberal Democratic Party leaders huddled early Tuesday to choose a date to elect a new party leader. The new LDP president is all but assured of then being elected prime minister by the lower house of parliament.

Fukuda's sudden resignation surprised many Japanese, coming after his predecessor, Shinzo Abe, also quit after about a year in office. Critics accused Fukuda and the LDP of playing politics at a time of deep economic uncertainty.

"We cannot accept his reasons. This is such irresponsible politics," the Mainichi newspaper said in an editorial. "It is abnormal that two prime ministers in a row quit after a short period of time, and it's hurting national interests."

Fukuda suffered throughout his term from anemic public backing - the latest poll showed him with only 29 percent support - and repeated embarrassment at the hands of the obstructionist opposition in parliament.

The LDP controls the lower house, but the upper house is dominated by the opposition, which has delayed crucial legislation such as an anti-terror mission in the Indian Ocean, making Fukuda appear ineffectual.

Speculation was high that the LDP, facing gridlock in parliament, was hoping to replace Fukuda with a more popular successor in preparation for snap elections in the powerful lower house.

"Fukuda figured out that under his leadership, the LDP would lose the elections, and so he thought it's better to leave than to face defeat," said Takashi Kato, political specialist at Seikei University in Tokyo. "He figured the LDP is better off under Aso,

Fukuda's sudden departure signaled continued instability in Japanese politics since the Junichiro Koizumi stepped down as premier in 2006. The wildly popular Koizumi had served more than five years, unusually long for a Japanese prime minister.

The turmoil coincides with economic uncertainty. The economy shrank in the second quarter, effectively ending a lengthy expansion that began under Koizumi. Inflation has spiked and consumer spending is flagging.

Fukuda just last week announced a stimulus package with US$18 billion in new spending to buoy the economy. Just several weeks ago he reshuffled his Cabinet in an unsuccessful attempt to renew public faith in his government. (amr)