TOKYO, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic Party of
Japan (DPJ) won Sunday's general election by landslide victory, sweeping the
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) out of almost unbroken power since 1955 to usher
in a new era of Japanese politics.
The DPJ secured 308 seats in the powerful 480-seat
House of Representatives. The LDP, by contrast, won only 119 seats and its
smaller ally New Komeito won 21 seats. Three other parties in the opposition
bloc, Social Democratic Party, the Japanese Communist Party and the People's New
Party won seven, nine and three seats respectively. according to broadcaster TV
Asahi.
The main opposition Democratic Party of
Japan (DPJ) leader Yukio Hatoyama speaks during a news conference after
his party won the lower house election in Tokyo August 31, 2009. The DPJ
is set to win Sunday's general election by landslide, sweeping the Liberal
Democratic Party (LDP) out of almost unbroken power since 1955 to usher in
a new era of Japanese politics, showed by the exit polls. (Xinhua/Ren
Zhenglai) Photo
Gallery>>>
By winning the election, Yukio Hatoyama, 62-year-old
head of DPJ and a political blueblood, will become Japan's next Prime Minister.
Before the election, the LDP has 300 seats and its
partner New Komeito has 31, compared with 115 held by the DPJ.
"A huge number of people have spoken through their
votes, and they have said we must change the way that we do politics in Japan,"
Hatoyama said at a televised press conference late Sunday.
"Our aspiration (for a change in the government) has
been materialized. I want to express my gratitude to voters, and Social
Democratic Party and the People's New Party"
Japanese Prime Minister and ruling
Liberal Democratic Party leader Taro Aso reacts at his party's headquaters
in Tokyo, Japan, on Aug. 30, 2009. Taro Aso admitted the failure during
the the House of Representatives election on Sunday. (Xinhua/Qian
Zheng) Photo
Gallery>>>
"This is not just a victory for DPJ, but also for
people facing partiality in the old bureaucratic-centered politics...We will
humbly accept people's voices on how we can improve politics to benefit people,"
he added.
Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso announced
that he will quit as president of the LDP following the defeat in the general
election.
"I believe the result is the judgment from the public
and we have to accept," Aso said. "I have to accept it as my destiny."
"The LDP will have a fresh start under the new leader
of the party," he said. "I will continue to work for the revival of the party."
An election to pick his successor as LDP chief will
be held soon, he said.
People cast their votes for the house of
representatives election at a polling station in Tokyo, Japan, on Aug. 30,
2009. Voting officially began Sunday morning for a general election in
which Japan may see a change of power for only the second time since 1955.
(Xinhua/Ren Zhenglai) Photo Gallery>>>
On its agenda Monday, the Hatoyama is to discuss the
possibility of forming a coalition government with members of its two opposition
allies -- the Social Democratic Party and the People's New Party.
"We will have to consult two leaders from the other
parties,...we will work toward realizing that (forming coalition) from
tomorrow," said Hatoyama at the press conference.
The DPJ is expected to launch an official transition
team after deciding on key posts including chief Cabinet secretary and state
minister in charge of overseeing its planned policymaking unit, the National
Strategy Bureau, and then to complete appointments for the remaining Cabinet
posts.
A man casts his vote for the house of
representatives election at a polling station in Tokyo, Japan, on Aug. 30,
2009. Voting officially began Sunday morning for a general election in
which Japan may see a change of power for only the second time since 1955.
(Xinhua/Ren Zhenglai) Photo Gallery>>>
The official results of the general election, the
first in four years, are expected to be known by early Monday.
The LDP has dominated Japan's politics for more than
half a century since its establishment, except for the nearly 11 months in
1993-94 when it fell out of power. Analysts say that a DPJ victory could usher
in a two-party system following more than 50 years of virtually one-party rule.
Before the election, the LDP has 300 seats and its
partner New Komeito has 31, compared with 115 held by the DPJ.
Hatoyama and his DPJ have campaigned on a promise of
change and people-oriented politics against the business-friendly,
bureaucrats-centered LDP.
In its manifesto, the DPJ pledges to cut wasteful
spending, offer cash to households, boost domestic demand, raise the birth rate
and keep Japan's 5 percent consumption tax intact for the next four years, the
duration of the term for new lower house lawmakers.
In foreign policy, it has signaled a solid but less
subservient partnership with traditional ally the United States and a desire to
boost its regional ties and promote a European Union-style Asian community and
common currency.
Many young people were excited at the prospect of
seeing the DPJ elected because of its policies concerning social welfare, and in
particular, planned benefits to be given for young mothers. The party has
promised to pay a child-rearing allowance for all children until they finish
junior high school and to make high school tuition effectively free and
universities more inclusive.
"If they manage to implement these policies, I will
be much more comfortable having children," said Kaori Yoshida, a woman in her
twenties.
But its big-budget policies, such as the monthly
child allowance to families, have been criticized as lacking specifics about
sources of funding.
Its rivals also blasted its inexperience in
governance, especially during a period when Japan is yet to recover from its
worst post-war slowdowns, with the jobless rate hitting a record 5.7 percent in
July and its public debt amounting to an estimated 200 percent of its GDP, the
highest among industrialized nations.
Aso asked voters to give his party more time to bring
the economy back on track in his final plea to voters Saturday. "The economic
measures we have taken since last year were not mistaken,... I will accomplish
them completely," he said, referring to the economy has returned to growth in
the second quarter, mostly due to the government's massive stimulus plan and
bounce back around the world.
However, his pledges still failed to win the hearts of voters, who believed a change in government is more likely to bring about real improvement for life.
