Posted on 09/11/2005 6:41:58 AM PDT by Our_Man_In_Gough_Island
Early TV exit polls suggest Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is headed for an overwhelming victory in Japan's general election. Mr Koizumi called the snap ballot after parliament blocked plans to privatise Japan's post office - the centrepiece of his economic reform proposals.
Exit polls suggest his party may be set to rule without a coalition partner for the first time in 15 years.
Turnout is expected to surpass the 60% of the last general elections in 2003.
'Assassins' deployed
An exit poll for public broadcaster NHK predicted Mr Koizumi's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) could win somewhere between 285 and 325 seats.
The Democratic Party, the main opposition party, was forecast by NHK to have won between 84 and 127 seats.
NHK's prediction of a simple majority for the LDP in the 480-seat lower house was broadly in line with that of private broadcasters.
KEY NUMBERS 480 lower house seats 241 needed for a majority LDP held 249 in last term But lost 37 MPs over postal reform row Its coalition partner, New Komeito, had 34 seats Official results are not expected until Monday morning.
The prime minister - in office since 2001 - has seen the election as a referendum on his reform programme, which was blocked by rebels within his own party.
He took the unprecedented step of hand-picking candidates in key seats - dubbed the "assassins" by the media - to try to unseat those rebels.
Mr Koizumi himself visited railway stations, shopping malls and community centres hammering home a simple passionate message - vote for me if you want reform.
"The response has been really good. I hope this will give us a boost," he told reporters ahead of the ballot.
He said that if he got more than a majority, "it means that voters are giving their support for postal privatisation".
Privatisation issue
Former train driver Fukuichi Nishiyama, 76, from Tokyo, said he voted LDP. "Those government employees think they are entitled to their salaries as long as they don't do anything wrong.
"If Japan Post is privatised they would be forced to compete."
But Kazushige Ikeda, 36, also from Tokyo, told Reuters news agency Mr Koizumi was too focused on postal privatisation.
He said: "I think Koizumi went too far by sending 'assassins'. He talks only about postal reforms but there are other issues such as pensions and taxes."
The BBC's Chris Hogg in Tokyo says Mr Koizumi made sure the issue of post office privatisation dominated the campaign - to the frustration of the opposition Democrats, who tried to attack his record on other fronts.
They complain he is failing to tackle issues such as pension reform, and have criticised his closeness to US President George W Bush and the presence of Japanese troops in Iraq.
Supporters of the reforms say they are urgently needed to put the postal service's massive deposits into the hands of private investors and provide an impetus to the economy.
But critics fear they will lead to job losses and deprive rural constituents of a valuable service.
Before the election was called, the LDP had 249 seats in the 480-seat lower house and its coalition partner the New Komeito had 34. The DPJ had 175.
Dubya must be glad to hear this.
I don't agree with everything Koizumi has done, but he clearly seems head and shoulders above all competitors. With this large margin he also seems headed for a place in the history books of his country.
Former train driver Fukuichi Nishiyama, 76, from Tokyo, said he voted LDP. "Those government employees think they are entitled to their salaries as long as they don't do anything wrong.
"If Japan Post is privatised they would be forced to compete."
People in Japan and Germany are getting tired of bad economies weighed down by massive government.
This is awesome news!!!!
I like Kozumi, and a powerful Japan allied with us is a wonderful thing to balance China in Asia.
Yes, some large German companies announced yesterday that they intend to compete with the semi-public government mail monopoly in, I believe, 2006.
I think this is good news for Japan. I have high regard for Prime Minister Koizumi.
And here the attitude is "We are entitled to our salaries no matter what. Even if we don't work."
This is terrific news.
In our own country, the Republicans are getting too cozy with big government. We too need an "inside reformer" like Koizumi to shake things up!
As for "assassin candidates," I think Arnold was a pretty good one. How about ...
Tommy Franks
Bobby Jindal, and
John Hoeven ???
This is terrific news.
In our own country, the Republicans are getting too cozy with big government. We too need an "inside reformer" like Koizumi to shake things up!
As for "assassin candidates," I think Arnold was a pretty good one. How about ...
Tommy Franks
Bobby Jindal, and
John Hoeven ???
Damnnnn I wonder if other party didn't have message aka John Kerry LOL!
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