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Japan's Reformist Koizumi Faces Arduous Tasks Ahead
Japan's reformist Junichiro Koizumi, the newly elected president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to succeed Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, is now facing the arduous tasks ahead to match his campaign reform promises with a looming economy and the reality of his party's entrenched ways.
The 59-year-old Koizumi was elected as LDP president in a landslide victory Tuesday against his main contender, former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, who heads the biggest faction inside LDP.
He thus become the first LDP leader who won the party presidency without backing of its largest faction in decades.
Koizumi's stunning success lies in his reformist image against the looming Japanese economy and cry for changes inside LDP and the Japanese public, analysts say.
Behind Koizumi's success was a party decision this year to allow local chapters to take part in the vote for party president, a move that enabled Koizumi to capitalize on his grassroots popularity.
Described by Japanese newspapers as unpredictable and the most idiosyncratic of the politicians in Japan, Koizumi exhibits a form of bravado that has made him popular with the public.
Parlaying his reputation as a popular reformer, Koizumi's campaign slogan "Change the LDP, Change Japan" won resounding support from local party members who are afraid of losing the coming election for parliament's Upper House in July.
By leaving the second largest faction headed by Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and then sweeping the LDP prefectural primaries, Koizumi finally managed to smashes the traditional way in decades that Japan's prime minister was chosen by large factions inside LDP.
He is expected to be named prime minister on Thursday in a Diet (parliament) vote and announce his Cabinet the same day.
His main contender Hashimoto, however, lost ground in the primaries with a stagnant economy and pending elections for Upper House due to his past records.
While serving as prime minister three years ago, Hashimoto pushed contradictory policies by implementing a generous economic- stimulus packages while pushing fiscal reform to reduce a snowballing budget deficit, which contributed to Japan's current economic crisis.
He was forced to resign as LDP president and prime minister after LDP's disastrous setback in the July 1998 Upper House election, raising serious concern with this year's Upper House election to be held in July.
After winning the race through his image of a reformist, Koizumi is now to break hard obstacles to carry on his reforms and translate his promises to actions and policies.
One of the main challenges is the Upper House elections in July.
As the new LDP president, Koizumi will have to act quickly to maintain his popularity in the public and gain the public trust towards the LDP. A defeat in the coming Upper House election, analysts say, can be disastrous to Koizumi's government.
The new leader will also meet with leaders of LDP's two coalition partners this week and gain their support in a bid to ensure LDP in power.
Koizumi sent jitters through the ruling camp during his campaign by saying that he may rethink the alliance with the LDP's two ruling coalition allies, New Komeito Party and New Conservative Party.
Japan's economy will be another Koizumi's priority as he comes to power at a moment of considerable challenge for Japan, which is struggling to overcome a decade-long economic crisis, record unemployment and a financial system heavily burdened by bad debt.
The LDP's current policy of pouring funds into the sagging economy has not sparked a stable recovery from the decade-long slump.
Koizumi has advocated painful structural reform to break up coddled industries, fiscal discipline to balance the budget and privatizing the postal savings service to guarantee efficient management of household funds.
Yet, many experts are wondering how far Koizumi will be able to ride his pledge to bring more transparency to ruling party politics if his reforms trigger layoffs, bankruptcies and lower consumer spending.
Koizumi boasted he would break the ties of party factions in handing out key party posts and cabinet posts. He vowed to keep his promises Wednesday by choosing one of his rivals, Economics Minister Taro Aso, to head the party's Policy Research Council.
Koizumi's reform in choosing LDP executives and cabinet members, however, may trigger disputes between different factions inside LDP, which will muddle koizumi's planned reforms.
Apart from the such domestic issues, Koizumi is also facing the task to deal with relations with other countries, including its Asian neighbors.
Top LDP PostsJapan's reformist Junichiro Koizumi, the newly elected president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), on Wednesday named the party's top three executives posts, Kyodo News reported.
Koizumi appointed former LDP policy chief Taku Yamasaki, a long- time ally, as secretary general, the No. 2 post in the party.
The post of the party's Policy Reseach Council chairman went to Taro Aso, economic and fiscal policy minister. Aso is one of Koizumi's rivals in Tuesday's presidential race.
Koizumi chose former International Trade and Industry Minister Mitsuo Horiuchi to head the decision-making General Council.
The appointments were approved by the council in the morning.
Koizumi has promised to break free from the LDP's tradition of faction-based portfolio distribution. The lineup choices are proving to be his first chance to make good on his promise.
"It appears there are those in the party who still don't understand that I will make appointments regardless of factions," Koizumi told reporters Wednesday. "They will gradually see that I am serious. The factional power politics that have been in place until now will change."
In keeping with Koizumi's promise to put an end to faction politics, the new LDP executives said at a news conference they will leave their factions.
Yamasaki's decision to leave his faction was approved by the faction earlier in the day.
"I am impressed with the appointments, as they ignore pressure from factions. Mr. Koizumi is a reformer, and I want to support those reforms," Yamasaki said.
Koizumi also began crafting a new cabinet expected to launch after his appointment as prime minister on Thursday.
Koizumi said he is thinking of keeping Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda, the top government spokesman, in his post in the new cabinet.
The new LDP chief is also considering naming former Science and Technology Agency chief Makiko Tanaka, another ally in his election campaign, to a cabinet post, according to LDP officials.
Koizumi is expected to be named prime minister in a Diet vote on Thursday, since the LDP-led coalition has a majority in the House of Representatives, which has the final say in selecting the premier.
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