Silly article.
Consensus has been Japanese want to punish the LDP more than they came to trust the DPJ. Culturally, Japanese don’t see “change” as westerners/Americans do.
It irks me to see westerners incorporate their values into their stories about Japan, as though Japanese think the same as westerners do. Earth to Brittany Fortier, they do not (and that’s a good thing in many ways).
This quote is rich:
Schoppa argued that the DPJ took a page from former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s “playbook” and advocated for “change.” This all-important concept of “change” was “excit[ing]” to the Japanese people, who were disillusioned by Koizumi’s capitalist reforms and the “inequality” that was perceived to be the main cause of economic recession.
Sorry but actually the LDP got weak-kneed on many if not most of Koizumi’s proposals including a balanced budget and several privatizations. It was Koizumi who became disillusioned by the LACK of capitalism in his own party, scuttling capitalistic reforms.
Even when Koizumi rose to the top he was seen as eccentric. As 2001 turned to 2005 and 2006 being eccentric lost charm within the LDP. Consequently, the LDP lost its charm with the Japanese people.