By DPA,
Tokyo : The fall of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) appears almost certain, with a newspaper poll Thursday forecasting it would win just 100 seats in the Aug 30 election to the 480-seat House of Representatives.
The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) could almost triple its seats and win 320 seats in the lower house, or a two-thirds majority, the newspaper Asahi Shimbun reported.
If the DPJ wins, the party president, Yukio Hatoyama, would likely become Japan’s next prime minister and put an end to more than half a century of nearly uninterrupted rule by the LDP.
The 62-year-old grandson of former prime minister Ichiro Hatoyama has promised voters he would change Japan by cutting wasteful spending and revitalise the world’s second-largest economy by increasing household incomes and encouraging spending.
The survey reflected voters’ dissatisfaction with the coalition government of the LDP and the New Komeito party.
LDP President and Prime Minister Taro Aso has failed to demonstrate strong leadership as his administration neglected to deal with long-term economic problems and suffered a series of scandals.
The ruling party, which has held power for more than half a century, has failed to address domestic concerns, such as Japan’s strained pension system and its ageing, shrinking population.