|
|
"A collaborative political resource." |
By-elections a crucial test of Koizumi's reform drive
|
| Parent(s) |
Race
-
|
| Contributor | Ralphie |
| Last Edited | Ralphie Apr 21, 2005 12:33pm |
| Category | Perspective |
| News Date | Apr 13, 2005 12:00pm |
| Description | Scandal was much on the minds of political parties as candidates kicked off campaigning Tuesday in by-elections for two Lower House seats that became vacant due to wrongdoing.
The stakes in this contest-the first battle for Diet seats since the Upper House election last July-are high.
While the focus is on whether the ruling Liberal Democratic Party can prevail over Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan), analysts say the by-elections in Fukuoka and Miyagi prefectures will serve as an acid test of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's relentless crusade on postal privatization.
Voting is on April 24, and the results will be known that night.
The Fukuoka No. 2 seat became vacant last September when Junichiro Koga resigned from the Diet after being expelled from Minshuto for lying about his academic record.
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party is fielding 68-year-old Taku Yamasaki, a former LDP secretary-general who himself was embroiled in a sex scandal that cost him the political seat he had held for 10 terms to Koga. Yamasaki is a close ally of Koizumi.
In a speech in support of Yamasaki in Fukuoka, LDP Secretary-General Tsutomu Takebe said Tuesday, "We simply cannot just hand over power to Minshuto."
Kanzaki, the New Komeito leader, said victory was essential "for the sake of the stability of our ruling coalition."
Minshuto President Katsuya Okada, who also was in Fukuoka, called the by-election "an opportunity to choose between the LDP that is bound by old ties and new and young Minshuto."
In addition to Yamasaki, five others are vying for the Fukuoka seat. They are: Kenshiro Nishimura, 45, an independent newcomer; Hirotoshi Yamada, 43, a newcomer running on the Japanese Communist Party ticket; Masanori Hirata, 37, a Minshuto newcomer; and independent newcomers Yutaka Fujimoto, 54, and Shinichi Hamatake, 39. |
| Article | Read Article |
|
|
