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As the Regular Diet Session settles down, the focus of attention
seems to be changing to whether Prime Minister Obuchi Keizo can, through the
LDP presidential election, overcome the party's inner factional struggles
while maintaining the fragile coalition among the LDP, Komeito and Liberal
Party, in order to lay the groundwork for a lasting government.
Since last August when the former Prime Minister Hashimoto stepped
down from office, Prime Minister Obuchi has often been called ignorant and
incompetent. At one time, he even joked about his own lack of finesse with
words. However, the first and foremost political objective for Obuchi has
been to sustain a lasting government. To achieve this objective, he is
willing to subject himself to any kind of ridicule. So we should be very
much aware of the fact that under the guise of a happy-go-lucky guy, lies a
calculating individual who suppresses his own ambitions in order to get what
he wants. According to his scenario, after being re-elected as the
President of the LDP, he would at an appropriate time, dissolve the Diet and
call for a general election.
Even if the LDP alone does not win a majority, in this scenario
if the three coalition parties do win a majority and sustain a government,
he hopes that by that time, there will be some signs of the economy
recovery. This would act as an uplifting factor for public mentality.
Accordingly, if he can sustain this optimism until next June, when the
Okinawa summit is to take place, he is calculating that his popularity would
be on better ground. Consequently, this would lead to a lasting
government. However, this scenario is not without difficulties. |
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