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Saturday, September 10, 2005

Update: Big win for Koizumi.
The LDP won 296 of the 480 seats in Parliament’s Lower House, taking a majority in the chamber for the first time in 15 years.
Asked to characterise his successor, Koizumi said: “I am pinning my hopes on those who would take the reforms forward”.
He plans to retire next year.
In Japan, Koizumi leads going into tomorow's elections. I have read a persuasive account that in the 40's, Japan's elected leaders were a sham, window dressing, and the real power was with the Emperor and his staff and relatives. I'm guessing that in today's Japan the elected government does have real power - but how would I know for sure?
Ukraine's Orange revolution may be starting to fall apart and split into two factions.
Egypt's recent elections, won by the incumbent, are being denounced as frauds, but it can be hard to sort out genuine complaints from partisan whining, and I don't have enough facts to make an independent assessment.

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