Japanese PM upbeat ahead of Sunday’s election
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi appears almost certain to lead Japan’s ruling coalition to victory in the general election on Sunday.
Mr Koizumi, 61, the charismatic leader who came to power two and a half years ago, has stuck to his pledge to reform Japan’s ailing banking system and privatise the post office system.
With the help of the Buddhist-backed Komeito party, the Liberal Democratic Party appears destined to retain its nearly 50-year long hold on power.
But the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) is likely to win a large number of seats – giving the newly formed opposition party between 160 and 190 of the 480-seats in the Lower House.
The election campaign of Naoto Kan, the leader of the DPJ, has sharply criticised the decision to send self defence troops to Iraq and voiced concerns over lingering bribery allegations surrounding the LDP’s involvement in deciding which building firms received a series of major highway construction contracts.
During the election campaign, Kan hinted of forming a broader church with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Japanese Communist Party to offer the LDP a serious challenge.
But critics suggest Japan is heading toward a two-party system with smaller political groupings such as the communists effectively marginalised as a result.
