Two more politicians join Japanese PM election race

The Telegraph ^ | 9/4/2008 | Julian Ryall in Tokyo

[bruinbirdman]

Nobuteru Ishihara, former policy chief for the Liberal Democratic Party, and Minister of Economic and Fiscal Policy Kaoru Yosano both announced they would be standing, joining party Secretary General Taro Aso.

Yuriko Koike, Japan's first female minister of defence, is expected to announce her candidacy before Monday's deadline, although Mr Aso remains the favourite to take over from Yasuo Fukuda.

Mr Fukuda shocked the country by announcing his resignation on Monday evening, citing his administration's inability to pass legislation since the opposition Democratic Party of Japan won control of the Upper House of the parliament in June 2007.

Already out drumming up support for his candidacy, Mr Ishihara said, "Our mission is not to create a situation in which Mr. Aso is running as the only candidate."

The two men have different views on how Japan might best claw its way out of the economic mess it presently finds itself in.

Mr Ishihara is an advocate of wide-ranging structural reforms while Mr Aso supported the former PM's policy of economic stimulus measures.

At 51, Mr Ishihara's youth is likely to count against him in a political party that has long history of returning the old and the faithful.

Mr Yosano fits that bill, although electing a man who is already 70-years-old has its own dangers.

"There are clear generational differences here, and this is the time when the LDP really has to make a clear decision about its future," said Go Ito, a professor of political science at Tokyo's Meiji University.

The choice, according to Professor Ito, is between another in a long list of grey politicians who quickly lose the support of the public due to their inability to follow through on initial promises, or a more dynamic and youthful leader who better holds the public's attention and support.