Japan ruling party ‘like Titanic’: ex-Minister

Japan: Japan’s long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party is looking “like the Titanic” as it cruises towards potentially devastating elections in the coming months, a former minister said Monday.

Yoshimi Watanabe, a cabinet member until August, left the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) last month in protest at conservative Prime Minister Taro Aso’s reluctance to make economic and political reforms. Aso likely wanted to serve as prime minister until September, the latest date he can call an election, Watanabe said.

“The LDP is like the Titanic, which is moving towards a great iceberg called ‘a snap election,’” Watanabe told the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan. “So I can understand their feeling that they want to delay the election,” he said.

“But the later the snap election comes, the fewer seats the LDP will get.” Aso took office four months ago with a mission to revive the LDP ahead of elections, but faces criticism for his handling of a worsening recession.

A poll released Monday by Kyodo News put his government’s approval rating at 18.1 percent and said an overwhelming 77 percent of voters have low expectations for its economic stimulus measures.

Tokyo, Monday, AFP