HONOLULU -- Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi delivered on his promise to revive the fortunes of the Liberal Democratic Party the weekend before last. LDP candidates steamrollered their opposition, claiming 64 of the 121 seats that were contested in the Upper House ballot. After an independent candidate joined the LDP last Monday, the LDP had upped its total number of seats by four, and its three-party coalition holds a comfortable majority, with 140 places in the 247-seat House of Councilors.
Now things will get interesting. While the Upper House is the weaker of Japan's two chambers, the election results ostensibly give Koizumi the mandate he needs to move forward. The prime minister presents himself as a reformer, and revels in his image as a rebel, but it is unclear what he really believes in. He has spoken passionately about dismantling the postal savings system and has supported limits on government spending (which would end the pork-barrel politics that has been the foundation of LDP rule), but the details of his reform agenda have been hard to find.
Part of that is politics: The prime minister has not gotten specific to avoid antagonizing supporters who might be adversely affected by his plans. Others question whether Koizumi really believes in much; he is said to be guided by instinct and has little inclination for the nitty-gritty details and the down and dirty of Japanese politics.