Lame duck party

Article Abstract:

Passage of a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa's government by the lower house of Japan's parliament in Jun 1993 heralded the start of a new era in Japanese politics. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was defeated by a vote of 255 to 220 in which 39 LDP members sided with the opposition. Two reformist politicians, Tsutomu Hata and Ichiro Ozawa, led the opposition, who criticized Miyazawa for being reluctant to reform the multi-seat constituency system for electing lower house members. The reformers believe that this system fosters corruption.

Cover Story, Ozawa, Ichiro, Hata, Tsutomu

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Off the leash: Miyazawa forms cabinet without dominant faction

Article Abstract:

Japanese PM Kiichi Miyazawa's new cabinet's structure shows his break with the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) formerly powerful Takeshita faction. The Takeshita faction split into two, one faction under Keizo Ubuchi and the other under Hata-Ozawa, because of internal differences. The Hata-Ozawa faction claims commitment to radical political reform. To reach a consensus on policies, PM Miyazawa will now have to reconcile the interests of the LDP's five different, but equal-sized factions rather than the previously dominant Takeshita faction.

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Off the sick list

Article Abstract:

Polls show that public support for Kiichi Miyazawa's cabinet has gone up to 33% after it had gone down to 22% in early 1992. Furthermore, Miyazawa's ruling Liberal Democratic Party appears close to having opposition parties agree on the issue of Japanese Self Defence Force participation in UN peacekeeping operations (PKO). The PKO bill is currently being revised and would probably be passed by parliament despite the opposition's control of the majority of the upper house.

Public opinion, Prime ministers

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