Tokyo (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Japanese premier Taro Aso has dissolved parliament and called early elections to be held next August 30. This morning the government assured its formal support for the Prime Minister’s decision, spurred on by the crushing defeat of the majority Liberal Democrat Party (LDP) in recent municipal elections in Tokyo.
Japan faces a serious recession, the economy is in crisis and employment is on the decline, the premier Taro Aso is accused of not having been able to address these problems with the right determination. The August 30 elections could mark a historic turning point for the Land of the Rising Sun: In case of victory of the Democrat Party, it would put an end to 50 years of uninterrupted LDP rule.
Local commentators argue that Aso’s move is on the one hand an extreme attempt to address the decline in support for the ruling executive, on the other an attempt to address ill-feeling within the LDP where many want a change of leadership. A series of polls published by Japanese newspapers Asahi and Mainichi indicate that consensus for the premier and the governing party has dropped further since the beginning of the month.
Analysts and political scientists are seeking to understand what scenarios will open now with the early elections. Aso's government, born to rule a long time and continue the 50 years of LDP power governing the country, has had to contend with the serious economic impact generated by the global crisis. An opposition victory would push the country to greater independence from the United States, a greater contribution of Japan to peace missions and a reduction in the role of the government.