DESTROYING THEIR PARTIES TO SAVE THEM:

Koizumi era one of change, tension (HIROKO NAKATA, 4/26/06, Japan Times)

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who pledged to "destroy" his own Liberal Democratic Party when he became its president five years ago, will probably be remembered for putting in place much-needed structural reforms.

But as Koizumi marks his fifth year in office Wednesday, many observers say his administration will also be remembered for souring Japan's relations with other parts of Asia and for chipping away at the middle class. [...]

"More than 50 years after the war, Koizumi is the . . . first prime minister who takes responsibility for what he pledges to the public," said Hidekazu Kawai, a professor of comparative politics at Chubu University.

One of the highlights of Koizumi's stint thus far was the LDP's landslide victory in last September's House of Representatives election, which gave him a broad mandate to privatize the nation's postal system -- something he had sought to do for years.

Throughout his term, Koizumi has promoted administrative reforms under the slogan "No growth without reform."

Similar to his fellow Third Wayers, George W. Bush, who came to office bent on transforming a conservatism that had backstabbed his father, and Tony Blair, of whom Geoffrey Wheatcroft wrote upon his election: "Someone who knows him says, 'You have to remember that the great passion in Tony's life is his hatred of the Labour Party.'"

Posted by Orrin Judd at April 25, 2006 10:38 PM