Japan: Next PM Prepares for Post

Japan will see a historic change in government this week, making former opposition leader Yukio Hatoyama the nation’s next prime minister.

But Hatoyama, the grandson of a former prime minister and family of industrialists, is no political outsider and his Democratic Party is preparing a quick transition to power.

Political analysts say the landslide that brought in Hatoyama and the DPJ will give the new government a longer honeymoon period than Liberal Democratic Party predecessors.

[Tsuneo Watanabe, The Tokyo Foundation]:
„I think the Japanese will go easy and observe what the new party in charge is about to do so that will give the DPJ at least three years. Similarly for Hatoyama, I think the people are lenient towards his first 100 days or so in the office, which is sort of like the ‚honeymoon period.'“

Hatoyama, nicknamed the „alien“ because of his eyes and background as a Stanford Ph.D., rose to lead his party on the back of a pledge for fraternity, but is expected to try to take on Japan’s bureaucrats as well as take a harder look at U.S. ties.

Watanabe says 62-year-old Hatoyama, expected shortly to name his Cabinet, may face a temptation to try tackling too much at once.

[Tsuneo Watanabe, The Tokyo Foundation]:
„Some people call him an ‚alien‘ since he’s too smart and is capable of coming up with various ideas using his imagination. However, he may be at risk of losing focus because he’s a bit everywhere.“

The next test for Hatoyama will come next year with an upper house election, which could either be a vote of confidence for the new Cabinet or create another political deadlock if the now opposition LDP recovers.

(NTDTV)