In an unprecedented political upheaval that could change the way Japan is run, the Democratic Party of Japan seized 308 seats in Sunday's Lower House election, bouncing the Liberal Democratic Party from power.
The DPJ's tally far exceeded the 241 seats needed for a single majority and surpassed the 296 seats the LDP won in its landslide victory in the previous Lower House election in 2005.
The LDP did not just lose the election; it was humiliated.
The party's power in the Diet chamber diminished to 119 seats, a loss of 60 percent of its 300 pre-election seats.
The DPJ, meanwhile, increased its Lower House strength roughly 2.7-fold from the 115 seats it held before the Lower House was dissolved.
Voter turnout in single-seat constituencies was 69.28 percent, up 1.77 points from 2005, according to the internal affairs ministry.
The DPJ's win ends the LDP's run as the largest party in the Lower House, a streak that started when the party was formed in 1955.
The LDP's single-seat candidates were shut out in 13 prefectures, including Saitama, Shizuoka and Aichi.
Prime Minister Taro Aso, whose performance was largely blamed for the LDP's historic loss, told reporters he intended to step down as LDP president to take responsibility. Aso managed to retain his Lower House seat in Fukuoka Prefecture.
DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama is expected to be appointed Japan's 93rd prime minister in a special Diet session to open in the week starting Sept. 14.
The DPJ, a collection of conservatives and liberals, is the first single opposition party in the postwar era with the power to pull off a change in government.
Sunday's election also marked the possible start of a two-party system in Japan, 15 years after the current Lower House election system that combines single-seat constituencies and the proportional representation segment was introduced to promote changes in government.
The creation of a DPJ-led government could change the policy-making framework. The party has vowed to take power away from central government bureaucrats in the decision-making process and give politicians the initiative.
The DPJ, established in 1996, came through on its fifth attempt to snare the reins of government from the LDP. However, Sunday's victory apparently had much to do with voters' anger against the LDP over its handling of the economic slump and the rising unemployment rate.
"The public bravely voted for an administration change. We must establish politics that put the general public at the center," Hatoyama said at a news conference early Monday.
He also rejected speculation on who would fill the new Cabinet.
"It is not appropriate for such discussions to preclude the appointment of the prime minister," Hatoyama said.
He said he intends to "swiftly make decisions" after he becomes prime minister.
DPJ Secretary-General Katsuya Okada was expected to seek discussions with the Social Democratic Party and Kokumin Shinto (People's New Party) on forming a coalition government.
Although the DPJ is the largest party in the Upper House, it does not hold a single majority and needs the cooperation of other parties to pass legislation.
SDP leader Mizuho Fukushima told reporters that the likelihood of her party joining a coalition was "extremely high."
The SDP maintained its pre-election strength of seven seats.
However, Kokumin Shinto leader Tamisuke Watanuki and party Secretary-General Hisaoki Kamei both lost on Sunday, clouding prospects for smooth negotiations on forming a coalition government.
Kokumin Shinto won three seats, one short of its pre-election strength.
The DPJ is also expected to discuss the formation of a coalition with New Party Nippon and New Party Daichi, both of which cooperated with the DPJ in the election and won one seat each.
While the DPJ was planning its new government, the battered LDP was trying to regroup.
"We must sincerely accept the verdict of the voters and start all over based on a spirit of self-reflection," Aso said.
Aso, whose term as LDP president expires on Sept. 30, indicated that his replacement would be chosen after the special Diet session ends to provide time to reconstruct the party.
He said he expected an LDP presidential election to be held following the appointment of the prime minister and after hearing the opinions of party members and affiliates nationwide.
The LDP's junior coalition partner, New Komeito, also suffered a setback on Sunday. The party, backed by Soka Gakkai, the largest lay Buddhist organization in Japan, was pummeled in all of its eight single-seat district races, reducing the party's strength to a record low 21 seats, well below its pre-election 31 seats.
New Komeito leader Akihiro Ota, Secretary-General Kazuo Kitagawa and former transport minister Tetsuzo Fuyushiba all lost their seats on Sunday.
Ota and Kitagawa told reporters Monday that they both plan to step down from their party posts.
The Japanese Communist Party maintained its nine seats, all through the proportional representation portion of the election.
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN, August 31,2009より引用
