Taro Aso -- Top Candidate For Japan's PM

ANCHOR:
Hawkish former Foreign Minister Taro Aso is seen as the top candidate for
Japan's next prime minister after Mr Fukuda's abrupt resignation announcement.

STORY:
Taro Aso favours more government spending to boost the economy. In a recent Media survey he is shown to have the backing of half of the ruling party's branches to become the next prime minister after Yasuo Fukuda's abrupt resignation.
Political analyst Minoru Morita believes Mr Aso is a more charismatic leader than Mr Fukuda.

[Minoru Morita, Political Analyst]:
"While Fukuda failed to portray an attractive image to the mass media, Aso is more like Koizumi. He can create and present a charismatic image through the lens of mass media. Aso can be a charismatic leader also because his grandfather was former Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida."

Mr Aso is relatively popular with voters, but some in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, or LDP, are worried. They're worried that his calls for spending will turn back the clock on efforts to cut public debt. This debt is one and half times bigger than the GDP...the highest among big industrialised countries.

Worries over Mr Aso's history of gaffes, have fuelled speculation that others may
also run in an LDP leadership race to replace the unpopular Mr Fukuda. Fukuda who left a policy vacuum in the world's second largest economy as it teeters on the edge of a recession.

LDP branches, along with the ruling LDP lawmakers, will vote for a new party leader on September 22, and as it looks now, Mr Aso seems to be the front-runner.

[Minoru Morita, Political Analyst]:
"I'd say there's a 60 to 70 percent chance for Aso to be elected as the ruling camp's new leader and thus becoming the next prime minister.
Then, a national election would be held under Aso's leadership. As the opposition camp will likely choose Ichiro Ozawa as their leader, it's going to be Aso against Ozawa in the next election."

Mr Morita is predicting that the next national election could be held as early as November.

Category:

News & Politics

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