TOKYO, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The ruling coalition faces
real challenges as the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) became the
leading party in Sunday's Tokyo metropolitan assembly election, which is seen as
a bellwether for the upcoming general election.
DPJ gained 54 seats out of the total of 127, compared
with 38 seats of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The New Komeito party won
23 seats, making the ruling bloc's total seats 61.
Since the ruling bloc of the LDP and the New Komeito
party fails to achieve its target of retaining a majority, there could be strong
moves within the LDP to hold a presidential election to replace Prime Minister
Taro Aso as its head prior to the lower house election.
Aso's leadership ability was challenged after a
series of ministerial resignations. There has been voices from some LDP
legislators asking him to step down. However, many analysts believed even
changing the leader could not save LDP's fate in the election.
Among the other seats, Japanese Communist Party
secured eight, while Tokyo Seikatsusha Network won two and other two seats
belong to independents, according to results disclosed by Kyodo News and state
broadcaster NHK.
Before the election, 48 assembly members belonged to
the LDP, 34 to the DPJ, 22 to New Komeito, 13 to the Japanese Communist Party
and four to Tokyo Seikatsusha Network. Four other assembly members were
independents and two seats were vacant.
Kyodo News said voter turnout stood at 54.49 percent,
up 10.5 points from the previous election.
Aso, who returned to Japan Saturday from Group of
Eight Summit in Italy, appeared not willing to give up fighting on. He was
quoted as telling top government spokesman, Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo
Kawamura Saturday night "the results of the Tokyo assembly election are not
related to national politics."
Kawamura and LDP Secretary General Hiroyuki Hosoda
agreed Sunday evening to make efforts so that the outcome of the Tokyo polls
does not affect national politics and to leave the decision of the timing for
the lower house dissolution to Aso's discretion, according to Kyodo News,
quoting an unspecified government source.
LDP already lost to DPJ for the fourth straight major
local elections -- mayoral polls in Nagoya, Saitama and Chiba and a
gubernatorial race in Shizuoka Prefecture. Also on Sunday, DPJ defeated LDP in
Nara mayoral election.
DPJ is determined to accomplish a change of power in
Japanese politics after more than 50 years of nearly unbroken rule of LDP.
Recent public opinion polls conducted by major media already showed much more
people preferred DPJ to LDP as the ruling party.
The lower house must be dissolved by September for a
general election.
TOKYO, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) is set to become the leading party in Sunday's Tokyo metropolitan assembly election, which is seen as a bellwether for the upcoming general election.
As of 10:30 p.m., DPJ has won 46 votes compared with 17 of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), according to state broadcaster NHK. Full story
TOKYO, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The results of the Tokyo metropolitan assembly election which is underway Sunday is widely seen as barometer for embattled Prime Minister Taro Aso to decide when to dissolve the lower house, observers say.
A total of 221 candidates are vying for the 127 seats, with the focus on whether the ruling coalition will retain their majority or if the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) will become the leading party, boosting expectations that it can bring about a change of government by winning the general election. Full story
