Campaign begins for election that could see change of power

TOKYO, Aug. 18 Kyodo - The campaign for the Aug. 30 House of Representatives election started in full swing Tuesday, with attention focusing on whether there will actually be a change of power in a country effectively dominated by one party for more than
half a century.

Political observers believe that Japan's main opposition party, the Democratic
Party of Japan, has a good chance of winning the election and ousting the
long-dominant Liberal Democratic Party from power for only the second time in
its 54-year history.
A total of 1,374 people filed their candidacies for the 480-seat lower chamber,
exceeding the 1,131 in the previous general election in 2005. Of the total,
1,139 are running in the 300 single-seat constituencies, and 229 are women --
the highest number ever.
By party, the LDP is fielding a total of 326 candidates, while the DPJ is
putting up a combined 330 ones. This is the first time the number of DPJ
candidates has surpassed that of LDP candidates.
The DPJ, which had 112 seats at the time of the Diet dissolution, needs to rack
up 129 additional seats to give it a bare majority with 241 seats in the lower
chamber.
Even if the DPJ wins a majority in the lower house, it plans to form a
coalition with two minor opposition parties -- the Social Democratic Party and
the People's New Party -- as it needs their cooperation to control the House of
Councillors.
Since the DPJ remains divided on foreign policy and national security, however,
observers predict the envisaged DPJ-led government will face a rough ride at
least until next year's upper house election.
In his first official campaign speech in Tokyo, Prime Minister Taro Aso, who
leads the LDP, said the party would continue to put priority on steps to
revitalize the sluggish economy, while attributing the recent signs of recovery
to his own economic steps.
''Our economy-boosting measures are still only half done. We must continue
working on them and if they are not enough, we will do more,'' Aso, with his
blue shirt sleeves rolled up in the sweltering heat, told a crowd in front of
JR Hachioji Station in Tokyo.
Aso also rapped the DPJ for wavering on national security, remarking, ''I am
saying that we cannot leave Japan's national security in the hands of such a
party.''
The DPJ has said it will seek a more independent policy from Washington than
the LDP, but seems to be shifting to a more pragmatic position ahead of the
election as it needs to consider building relations with Tokyo's closest ally
if it takes power.
Aso's rival, DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama, said in Osaka, ''The day has finally
come for us to rewrite our history,'' asking the gathering to ''give us the
power to achieve a change of government.''
The opposition leader, who assumed the post in May, also reiterated that he
will ''take responsibility'' if his party wins power but fails to accomplish
any of its campaign promises, hinting that he would stand down after four years
if he fails.
Aso, Hatoyama and other party leaders have already been on the campaign trail
since the prime minister dissolved the lower house on July 21.
Hatoyama has said his party will pursue policies that are more focused on the
people, criticizing the LDP-New Komeito coalition for having depended too much
on bureaucrats in crafting policies and wasted taxpayers' money.
In its campaign manifesto, the DPJ pledges to cut back on wasteful spending,
offer more cash to the people and maintain the nation's 5 percent consumption
tax.
Aso has lashed out at the pledges as a ''pipe dream'' with no growth strategies
and raised questions about how the DPJ would secure funds to realize them,
telling the public in Tuesday's speech, ''Where is the party thinking of taking
money from?''
The LDP suggests in its own manifesto that it would increase the sales tax once
the economy recovers, but does not elaborate on when and by how much the tax
will be raised.
The DPJ has differences with the two minor opposition allies in such issues as
a bilateral free trade agreement with the United States as well as the overseas
dispatch of Self-Defense Forces.
The general election is the first since September 2005 when the LDP won about
300 seats due to the popularity of then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who
made postal privatization a key election issue.
In the past four years, Japan has had four prime ministers -- Koizumi, Shinzo
Abe, Yasuo Fukuda and Aso, indicating the nation's volatile political culture.
The LDP went into opposition for about 10 months from 1993 to 1994, but except
for that brief period has ruled the country since the party was formed in 1955.
==Kyodo