Despite a truly historic victory by the DPJ, the first time since the LDP was created that it has been defeated in a general election (and oh how it was defeated!), there is remarkably little to say.After all, there were no surprises. The results were exactly as Japan's media organizations predicted. The DPJ finished within …
Tag: 2009 general election
Live-blogging the 2009 general election #2
1:01am: NHK still has 14 seats left to assign, but I'm going to end the live-blogging now and try to summarize my thoughts before calling it an evening. Thanks to those of you who read through the night, and to those of you who asked questions, which helped focus my thoughts a bit.12:55am: Shorter Hatoyama: …
Live-blogging the 2009 general election
10:03pm: Time for a new post...10:02pm: Have I mentioned how cool it is to be live-blogging from a newsroom?10:01pm: Another faction leader down, Ibuki Bunmei. More time to indulge his passion for cooking?9:59pm: There's Aso looking grim as reporters shout questions at him. What can Aso say, at this point? Will he be gracious in …
Meet Japan’s Democrats
The votes have been counted, and unsurprisingly the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) has emerged victorious, becoming the first party other than the LDP to wield a majority in Japan's House of Representatives since the LDP was created in 1955.But despite its victory, the DPJ is poorly understood even by Japanese. So it is worth …
On the BBC
The rain is falling in Tokyo, but given the early turnout indicators it seems unlikely that the rain will make much difference.In the meantime, I will be appearing on the BBC at 5pm JST (9am GMT) to talk about the election.
Election day open thread
I will be checking in periodically over the course of today — in between TV appearances. I should also be live-blogging the results this evening. I'll be watching the returns and blogging from Reuters's offices in Tokyo before commenting on the results for Reuters TV. (I would also recommend checking out the Trans-Pacific Radio webcast …
The Japanese people choose
It is election day in Japan. After forty days of intense campaigning, the sound trucks are silent as the LDP, the DPJ, and a handful of smaller parties submit themselves to the judgment of the voters. After nearly four years, the Japanese people will vote for a new House of Representatives.I had many ideas for …
The budget is the key to regime change
In their final appeals to Japanese voters, Kan Naoto and other DPJ leaders laid particular stress on the budget.Speaking in Tokyo on Saturday, Kan said, "True regime change is politicians who have received the trust of the people restoring the right to formulate budgets to the people." Okada Katsuya, the DPJ's secretary-general, delivered the same …
The last night of LDP rule?
This evening I ventured over to Ikebukuro, where Prime Minister Aso Taro and DPJ leader Hatoyama Yukio were having dueling rallies on opposite sides of Ikebukuro station.I did not stay long at the LDP rally. Located on the east side of the station, the crowd was gathered on sidewalks around the roundabout, and there was …
The DPJ continues to reveal its plans for government
While the DPJ may have a public relations problem, the party has continued to show during the days leading up to the general election that it is focused on ensuring a smooth transition to power in the likely event that it wins, while at the same time taking the first steps to reorganizing the policymaking …
Continue reading The DPJ continues to reveal its plans for government
Tobias S. Harris 