Koizumi Triumphs in Projected Landslide

AP ^ | Sep 11, 2005 | ERIC TALMADGE

[george76]

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi scored a political triumph Sunday...headed for a landslide win in an election touted as a referendum on his push to privatize Japan's cash-swollen postal system.

...LDP won 296 seats in parliament's 480-seat lawmaking lower house, far more than the 241 needed for a majority...

Optimism about the results sent Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei stock index surging 1.8 percent to 12,915.53 points.

The win would keep a staunch ally of President Bush in power...in the effort to disarm North Korea...Iraq...

...Championed for breaking up and privatizing Japan Post. He kept the campaign focused on his plan, overshadowing the opposition and rejuvenating the image of the LDP from staid ruling party to agent of dynamic change.

Along with delivering mail, Japan Post has savings and insurance programs with $3 trillion in deposits, making it the world's biggest financial institution. Koizumi contends putting those operations in private hands will bring more efficient lending of the cash and produce a bigger boost for the economy, which is the world's second-largest but has stagnated for years.

That seemed to resonate with a public worried that bloated government bureaucracies are sapping economic growth as the aging of the population raises questions about how Japan will pay for future retirees. Postal savings have long been used by the LDP as a slush fund for public works projects blamed for waste and corruption.

"We did not expect this," said Katsuya Okada, who resigned early Monday as leader of the Democrats. "I don't think our policies were wrong, but we must reconsider our tactics."

The opposition's meltdown was all the more stunning because it came despite a high voter turnout, which usually plays in its favor.

"They had their shot and they blew it,"

[spinestein]

["We did not expect this," said Katsuya Okada, who resigned early Monday as leader of the Democrats. "I don't think our policies were wrong, but we must reconsider our tactics."]



Seems as if the Japanese Democrats have the same problem that the American Democrats have. Failing to realize that the problem is what's in the box, and that changing the wrapping paper isn't going to help.

[WOSG]

I detect a trend here ...
This man won on economic reform (pro-free-market) and supporting Bush.

Elsewhere, Conservatives are winning globally ...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1482557/posts