The New Nation - Internet Edition

Md. Masum Billah

Japan has seen a new Prime Minster on September 4 Taro Aso by name. He is the third prime Minster in one year. Aso, an outspoken nationalist, has said he wants to put priority to bolster Japan's faltering economy but has made clear an election is his sights. A lower house poll must be held by next September. Flamboyant conservative Taro Aso took charge as Japan's new Prime Minster pledging to work to build a cheerful nation' by reviving an economy which is in the doldrums now.

Aso replaced Yasuo Fukuda, a mild centrist whose ratings dived after he raised medical costs for the elderly. Aso was picked by Liberal Democratic Party by an overwhelming majority. Aso is the comic book-loving who started the job with an unusually sobre tone. He said he would push for emergency measures to revive. Japan, Asian's largest economy, contracted in the last quarter. He took charge as Japan's new prime minister lining up his cabinet with like-minded conservatives to help his mission to revive the economy and win upcoming elections. "To make Japan a cheerful and strong nation -that is my mission." I fully feel the heavy responsibility of being Prime Minister about the economy. These are the reactions Aso expressed after his assuming the office.

Aso has already made it clear about his foreign policy particularly Japan's stance in the 'war on terror'. He told in his first news conference that helping the war on terror was not for the sake of Afghanistan or the United States or Pakistan. "This is the responsibility of Japan as a member of the international community which is battling terror". The mission provides fuel and other logistical support to US-led forces operating in Afghanistan. Japan's opposition which controls the upper house of parliament, forced temporary halt last year to the operation arguing the officially pacifist country should not take part in American wars. The naval mission is set to expire in January. It could become even more controversial as Aso is widely expected to call early elections in the next two months. Outgoing prime minister Yasuo Fududa agreed to end a separate military mission flying goods and personnel into Iraq as another showdown loomed with the opposition. Japan was forced to renounce the right to wage war after its defeat in World War II.

Analysts expect Taro Aso to call a general election as early as late October in a bid to hold off gains by the rising opposition which has pounded away at the LDF's traditional strongholds in the countryside. But Taro Aso has debuted in the job with voter support of just 50% a survey showed on September 25 clouding the out look for an early general election. Aso's cabinet won support from 48.6% of votes polled by Kyodo news agency about double the rating of his predecessor, Yasuo Fukuda enjoyed when he took office.

The new prime minister has been expected to call a snap election for parliament's powerful lower house to take advantage of a traditional bounce in support ratings when a new government is formed but analysts said the figures could give him a pause. They have been talking about a November 2 election. " I thought of support was 50% or above he would call an election and if it were under 50% he couldn't " Yasunori Sone, Political Science Professor at Keio University commented. He continued, "But if he waits, things are not going to improve. They will just get worse. He will probably try to do some skillful performance and go ahead with a snap election but the question is can they win?" Alo, 68, scored much higher in a one-on-one comparison with Democratic Party Leader Ichiro Ozawa, rating 53.9% to opposition Chief 29.4%.But voters were evenly split over which party they planned to cast this ballots for at the next election with 34..89% opting for Aso's Liberal Democratic Party and 34.8% picking the Democrats.

The divided parliament voted along party lines to install the flamboyant foreign minister who appointed a cabinet filled with fellow conservatives. "The final battle has begun . the autumn of elections-the autumn to change the government -is coming ' said opposition chief Ichrio Ozawa whose bloc controls one house of parliament. Liberal Democratic Party has been in power for all but ten months since 1955 but Aso will be its fourth prime minister in the past two years as the party struggles over a raft of scandals and more recently a faltering economy. Aso said his first priority would be to pump stimulate spending into the economy, the worlds second largest but teetering on the brink of recession, clashing with LDP free-market reformists who in recent years have pushed to tame a ballooning public debt. He would make full use of all sorts of policies to invigorate the economy.

"This is the line up aimed at avoiding any political scandals ahead of the imminent general elections" -- Shjiro Kato, professor of politics at Toyo University said. The foreign ministry has been given to Hirofumi Nakasone, the sun of one of Japan's best -known premiers, Yasuhiro Naksaone, who led Japan in the 1980s and was close ally in US president Ronal Reagan's anti- communist campaign. Also in a bid to ensure party unity kept in place Fiscal and Economic Policy Minster Kaoru Yosano who had challenged him for the top job arguing that Aso's economic policies were irresponsible. Another rival Shigeru Ishiba, was made farm minister , a position that has frequently been hit by scandal . Ishiba survived resignation calls as he managed crises as Fukuda's defense minister. Japan, the largest economy in Asia and the second largest in the world, poses a very important player in the world field. Its change influences the global economy. She is one of the largest donors to Bangladesh. Necessarily our interest focuses on any change of Japan. Its economic doldrums means whole Asia's bleak economy. We want to see Japan always as the land of 'rising sun' in respect of economy and politics. It would go ahead with its economic leadership under Taro Aso.