Ruling Conservatives Crushed in Japan Vote

Worst Economic Slump Since WWII Drives Opposition to Landslide Win, After Half-Century of Near-One-Party Rule

(AP)  Japan's ruling conservative party suffered a crushing defeat in elections Sunday as voters overwhelmingly cast their ballots in favor of a left-of-center opposition camp that has promised to rebuild the economy and breathe new life into the country after 54 years of virtual one-party rule, media projections said.

The opposition Democratic Party of Japan was set to win 300 of the 480 seats in the lower house of parliament, ousting the Liberal Democrats, who have governed Japan for all but 11 months since 1955, according to projections by all major Japanese TV networks.

The vote was seen as a barometer of frustrations over Japan's worst economic slump since World War II and a loss of confidence in the ruling Liberal Democrats' ability to tackle tough problems such as the rising national debt and rapidly aging population.

National broadcaster NHK, using projections based on exit polls of roughly 400,000 voters, said the Democratic Party was set to win 300 seats and the Liberal Democrats only about 100. Official results were expected early Monday.

As voting closed Sunday night, officials said turnout was high, despite an approaching typhoon, indicating the intense level of public interest the hotly contested campaigns have generated.

The loss by the Liberal Democrats would open the way for the Democratic Party of Japan, headed by Yukio Hatoyama, to oust Prime Minister Taro Aso and establish a new Cabinet, possibly within the next few weeks.

It would also smooth policy debates in parliament, which has been deadlocked since the Democrats and their allies took over the less powerful upper house in 2007.

"The ruling party has betrayed the people over the past four years, driving the economy to the edge of a cliff, building up more than 6 trillion yen ($64.1 billion) in public debt, wasting money, ruining our social security net and widening the gap between the rich and poor," the Democratic Party said in a statement as voting began Sunday.

"We will change Japan," it said.

The Democrats have also said they will make Tokyo's diplomacy less U.S.-centric. But Hatoyama, who holds a doctorate in engineering from Stanford University, insists he will not seek dramatic change in Japan's foreign policy, saying the U.S.-Japan alliance would "continue to be the cornerstone of Japanese diplomatic policy."

Hatoyama's party held 112 seats before parliament was dissolved in July. The Democratic Party would only need to win a simple majority of 241 seats in the lower house to assure that it can name the next prime minister.

"We don't know if the Democrats can really make a difference, but we want to give them a chance," Junko Shinoda, 59, a government employee, said after voting at a crowded polling center in downtown Tokyo.

With only two weeks of official campaigning that focused mainly on broadstroke appeals rather than specific policies, many analysts said the elections were not so much about issues as voters' general desire for something new after more than a half-century under the Liberal Democrats.

The Democrats are proposing toll-free highways, free high schools, income support for farmers, monthly allowances for job seekers in training, a higher minimum wage and tax cuts. The estimated bill comes to 16.8 trillion yen ($179 billion) if fully implemented starting in fiscal year 2013.

Aso - whose own support ratings have sagged to a dismal 20 percent - repeatedly stressed his party led Japan's rise from the ashes of World War II into one of the world's biggest economic powers and are best equipped to get it out of its current morass.

But the current state of the economy has been a major liability for his party.

Last week, the government reported that the unemployment rate for July hit 5.7 percent - the highest in Japan's post-World War II era - while deflation intensified and families have cut spending because they are insecure about the future.

Making the situation more dire is Japan's rapidly aging demographic - which means more people are on pensions and there is a shrinking pool of taxpayers to support them and other government programs.

[toldyouso29]

"The opposition Democratic Party of Japan was set to win 300 of the 480 seats in the lower house of parliament, ousting the Liberal Democrats, who have governed Japan for all but 11 months since 1955, according to projections by all major Japanese TV networks."


So... the "Liberal Democrats" in Japan are really the conservative party? Reminds us and underlines that the names we give parties means something different overseas--and underlines the similarities (yet again) between the mindset, approach and actions of the Republican Party under Bush and the mindset, approach and actions of Germany under the Nazis.

[dragon8me]

Yes and the NAZI party has Socialst in it's name but is just the opposite, they were ultra conservitive. "Fasciam is corpoatism" said Benito Mussolini, Nazi leader of Italy in WWII.

[kevjustice]

The important thing is what happens in the long run. 150 years ago there were no socialist countries for the most part. Today much of the world has some degree of socialism. This is clearly where the trend is moving. This is a great victory for the world.

[kevjustice]

Rush,Hannity,Beck, etc. are corporate america's multi-millionair goons that are employed to spread corporate america's propaganda that everyone is better off with 1% of the population controlling 40% of its wealth.

[Lawyers-Guns-n-Money]

by WiseAsOwl August 30, 2009 3:55 PM EDT
You Libs quit being so sarcastic and please stop insulting your betters...

---------------------------------------------------------------

LOL!

[tinahbee]

"and y'all will have to relearn "your place"....Wise old owl "place this".

[pubsrtoast]

could the Japanese conservative candidate see North Korea from her front porch?

[pubsrtoast]

All I want to know is if the losing conservative party went around identifying themselves as "real Japanese" from the "real Japan". Also, since guns and bibles aren't an intricate part of Japanese life, what do their conservatives "cling to?

[pubsrtoast]

Was Japans conservative party represented by Suka the Sushi chef who later turned out not to be named Suka and not to be a Sushi chef?

[reveal5]

So, WiseAsOwl thinks Conservatives are our betters and will have democrats on our knees in the near future. I'm guessing WiseAs is about 75 years old.That's a guess. The operant narcissistic Personality Disorder is on clear display, no guessing needed.

[WiseAsOwl]

You Libs quit being so sarcastic and please stop insulting your betters... What everybody tends to forget is that Liberals have actually never really accomplished anything of worth in our country... They've only "made promises", and assured us that their heart was in the right place.. If it is truly of worth, most likely it has been a result of Conservatism... You Libs, of course, must continue to paint the Liberals and Obama in favorable colors.. You've had a few good ideas, but Obama is flushing it all down the toilet for you.. Typically, in the past, the only way a Liberal could get elected to anything was by espousing Conservative principles... That's where John F. Kennedy came from... (I don't know where the H&LL Carter came from.) You know and I know that a Ronald Reagan would win an election TODAY, if he was still with us and could run...Maybe that's a poor argument... I guess Bill Clinton could do the same thing.... Anyway, you Libs are going to have to eat a lot of crow (again) after the next election.. You might as well quite calling us Conservatives names and get ready to hit your knees..... because Obi is a one-term president... just like Carter.... and y'all will have to relearn "your place"....

[kevjustice]

There is no FAR LEFT in the U.S. to speak of that has much political power. Maybe Bernie Sanders and a few others, otherwise Obama, Pelosi, etc would have nationalized all major industry. Corporate america grooms and markets two millionaire candidates each election to give people the illusion of choice. Interesting how fox noise calls everything far left that does not agree with their view.

[pepperwood2]

"The ruling party has betrayed the people over the past four years, driving the economy to the edge of a cliff, building up more than 6 trillion yen ($64.1 billion) in public debt, wasting money, ruining our social security net and widening the gap between the rich and poor," the Democratic Party said in a statement as voting began Sunday.

"We will change Japan," ait said.

Get used to it People. In this Country The Liberal Democrats are doing the same thing that you accuse your Conservative Democrats of doing. Where have I heard this Change we can count on before? Pretty Slick Trick eh! It just goes to snow you that in this Country, as well as yours, You really don't have to fool all the people all the time. The end result will be the same as your Liberal & Conservative Democrats laugh at you all the way to until thier retirement kicks in. That's the NO Change you can count on.

[pubsrtoast]

y pepperwood2 August 30, 2009 3:32 PM EDT
" Where have I heard this Change we can count on before? Pretty Slick Trick eh! It just goes to snow you that in this Country, as well as yours, You really don't have to fool all the people all the time. The end result will be the same as your Liberal & Conservative Democrats laugh at you all the way to until thier retirement kicks in. That's the NO Change you can count on.


Oh I don't know, just getting rid of the stank that has occupied the WH over the last eight years was worth my vote.

[reveal5]

RealClearPolitics averages all polls. The Presidential approval is 51.8% This is almost exactly the percentage of Americans who voted for Senator Obama in the general election. This is almost exactly the percentage of Americans who gave President Obama an electoral college landslide in the Presidential election.ABC News/Washington Post polling currently shows the President at a 57% approval rating.http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/president_obama_job_approval-1044.html

[woeisme1]

by jxknowles August 30, 2009 1:28 PM EDT

Well see I do not feel it is possible to truly capture an intelligent comment in a slogan like you all do.

And I will post as many comments as I see fit. And this IS a blog.

[woeisme1]

by zeroKnots August 30, 2009 1:11 PM EDT
We have to raise the voting age to around 40 because of what libiots did to schools and this political American crisis of STUPIDITY.
=======================

Well then you only have to wait about 30 years before you are elegible to vote. Cool.

[jxknowles]

HeHeHeHeHe. This was hysterical.

"These results are very severe," Prime Minister Taro Aso said in a news conference at party headquarters, conceding his party was headed for a big loss. "There has been a deep dissatisfaction with our party."

At least their conservative party has a clue. Micheal Steele, Sarah Palin, RashAss Limbo, Cantor and the rest never understood why they were ousted.

[reveal5]

Medicare reform means the instituting of most effective treatment methods. These methods result in higher quality care at lower cost. These practices are being gleaned from the best, most effective and cost efficient medical institutions in the country. Like the Mayo Clinic. These practices do not threaten Medicare for seniors, these procedures assure that most effective treatment methods will be used resulting in higher quality care. As I have allready stated, I do not believe seniors and senioras, ha ha, do not want anyone else to receive healthcare. This would, indeed, be a silly notion. They are fighting against reform. They do not want the government "messing with" Medicare. Also, I do believe it is clearly true that these Republican seniors do not care about the poorer and uninsured in America. They do not fight for reform for the uninsured who are dumped by insurance companies. They do not utter a word for the folks who have lost their jobs and insurance and have a medical condition which makes them uninsurable because of the "pre existing conditions" clause. They simply do not show any awareness of the folks who are suffering and dying everyday in America because they are denied medical care. They are simply fighting for their Medicare...their socialised medicine.

[woeisme1]

reveal...They are receiving the benefits of socialised medical care and simultaneously fighting against any reform which would benefit the suffering and dying in America. That seems crystal clear to me.
-------------------

Well you and I have a different perception there. I see them as simply worried that they will lose their Medicare, true. But I do not see anything that indicates that seniors are against anyone else having healthcare. After all, most of the suffering and dying in America ARE seniors. You seem to be indicating they are therefore, against themselves.

I get the sense there is a valid point that you are trying to make. But it's not getting through.

[reveal5]

woeisme. Again, I do not think seniors are "against anyone else having healthcare."

[reveal5]

woeisme... The Republican senior Medicare recipient townhall protestor types....are fighting for socialism...Their socialism....Their Medicare which is subsidized by the taxpayer at an almost 3 to 1 ratio. These Republican seniors, who did not vote for Obama, are fighting against any healthcare reform. They are, in fact, protecting their mother lode of socialism. They, in fact, oppose medical care for the uninsured and poorer and unemployed American. They have their socialised gravy train and do not care about poorer or uninsured who are dumped by insurance companies and are left to suffer and die. They are receiving the benefits of socialised medical care and simultaneously fighting against any reform which would benefit the suffering and dying in America. That seems crystal clear to me.

[woeisme1]

CBS, I have a question. When we post a comment on page two or three, why do you put us all the way back to page one? Why can't we stay on the page we posted on? Why do you make us re-navigate from page one each and every time we post?

[jxknowles]

by woeisme1 August 30, 2009 12:51 PM EDT
CBS, I have a question. When we post a comment on page two or three, why do you put us all the way back to page one? Why can't we stay on the page we posted on? Why do you make us re-navigate from page one each and every time we post?

Get a BLOG. This section is for comments. Not to write a book. I respect your opinion like every other poster, but we don't need so many.

[woeisme1]

by reveal5 August 30, 2009 12:42 PM EDT
fighting against any reform which would result in a better healthcare deal for average Americans.
=====

Okay. I get you now. I must admit, this is the first I have heard that anywhere.