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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Japan premier dissolves Parliament for elections |
| 2012-11-17 |
| TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda dissolved the lower house of Parliament yesterday, paving the way for elections. Elections are set for Dec. 16. If Noda’s center-left party loses, the economically sputtering country will get its seventh prime minister in six and a half years. The opposition Liberal Democratic Party, which led Japan for most of the post-World War II era, is in the best position to take over. The timing of the election likely pre-empts moves by more conservative challengers, including former Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara, to build electoral support. Campaigning is set to begin Dec. 4, but leaders were already switching into campaign mode. “What’s at stake in the upcoming elections is whether Japan’s future is going to move forward or backward,” Noda declared to fellow leaders of the Democratic Party of Japan. “It is going to be a crucial election to determine the fate of Japan.” The DPJ, in power for three years, has grown unpopular largely because of its handling of the Fukushima nuclear crisis and its recent doubling of the sales tax. Noda’s most likely successor is LDP head and former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. He resigned as Japan’s leader in 2007 after a year in office, citing health problems he says are no longer an issue. “I will do my utmost to end the political chaos and stalled economy,” Abe told reporters. “I will take the lead to make that happen.” The path to elections was laid suddenly Wednesday during a debate between Abe and Noda. Noda abruptly said he would dissolve Parliament if the opposition would agree to key reforms, including a deficit financing bill and electoral reforms, and Abe jumped at the chance. Polls indicate that the conservative, business-friendly LDP will win the most seats in the 480-seat lower house but will fall far short of a majority. That would force it to cobble together a coalition of parties with differing policies and priorities. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #5 The Wicked Witch ain't been on no standing committees for 30 years. No, wiat... |
| Posted by: Shipman 2012-11-17 12:05 |
| #4 You can melt a Wicked Witch just by throwing a bucket of water on her. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2012-11-17 10:57 |
| #3 A zero seems to have deserted, alert the base force. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2012-11-17 08:29 |
| #2 Sure, I figure 200 gallons of 98% oil of vitrol per head, if that's not reasonable let me know. 535 times 200 = 535 times 100 twice which is umm...535000 times 2 which is um... 107000 gallons of oil of vitrol. Which is pretty much a heap. DeaconMan you got a price per gallon FOB Washington DC on Oil of Vitrol? |
| Posted by: Shipman 2012-11-17 08:27 |
| #1 WHHHAAIIITTtt, huh? Can we do that? |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2012-11-17 01:35 |