New PM? All Change, No Change Say Voters - Wall Street Journal (blog)

By Cheng Herng Shinn

Yoshihiko Noda is all set to become Japan's 62nd prime minister within a few days.

But for many, however lofty Mr. Noda's aspirations, the fact that he'll be the sixth new leader in less than five years – seventh including the man who was incumbent at the start of September 2006 — leaves expectations stuck at ground level.

The revolving door at the PM's office triggers nostalgia for the last time a PM occupied the position for a significant stretch. Not necessarily for the man himself, Junichiro Koizumi, he of Elvis impersonation fame, who stepped down after over five years in office in September 2006. But according to Tokyoites going about their business in the capital after Mr. Noda claims the leadership of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan Monday, people do miss stability and decisiveness at the top.

Ikuko Yamazaki, a 55-year-old passer-by in the Nagatacho area, said that she has been disappointed with the state of politics in Japan ever since former Mr. Koizumi's time in office. "Whether Koizumi was good or bad is another issue, but at least he made decisions and saw them through," she said. "I hope Noda does not lend his ear to too many people and just does what he thinks is right."

Younger generations appear to share that view. "It will be the same regardless of who becomes prime minister," said office worker Yoshinori Takahashi, 34.

The recent trend of prime ministers having a shelf life of about a year started with the resignation in 2007 of Shinzo Abe — Mr. Koizumi's direct successor — when the Liberal Democratic Party was still in power. He was followed by Yasuo Fukuda who said that leaving was the best option even before he reached a full year in office.

Next up was Taro Aso. His gaffes, coupled with a population exasperated by the ineptitude of the LDP, resulted in the DPJ taking power after half a century of LDP-dominated politics.

But while the LDP may have had decades in power that built up voter indifference, the DPJ seems to be succeeding in generating voter fatigue of its own, selecting its third PM in a couple of weeks short of two years in power.

"I want the DPJ to stop switching their policies every time the prime minister changes," said 35-year-old office workers Takaaki Fukushima. "They are even more inconsistent than the LDP."

- Ryosuke Hanada contributed to this article.