Japanese leader has confidence, and he'll need it
TOKYO - Taro Aso, who was elected yesterday to head Japan's ruling party and stood on the brink of becoming prime minister, has a reputation for being just about everything his predecessor was not. He is charming, charismatic, and brimming with confidence.
TOKYO - Taro Aso, who was elected yesterday to head Japan's ruling party and stood on the brink of becoming prime minister, has a reputation for being just about everything his predecessor was not. He is charming, charismatic, and brimming with confidence.
One thing remains the same.
When Aso is sworn in as Japan's prime minister this week - a virtual certainty because his party controls the lower house of parliament - he will inherit a government wracked by scandals, paralyzed by gridlock, and divided over how to deal with economic instability.
Aso won a landslide in an election within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to replace Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who abruptly announced three weeks ago that he was quitting because he was unable to deal with a stalemate in parliament with the opposition.
"I am proud to be able to stand at the forefront of our battle," Aso said in his acceptance speech.
Barring last-minute defections, Aso is assured of winning a parliament vote tomorrow to choose Fukuda's successor, because the Liberal Democrats control the lower chamber, which has the final say in the matter.
Fukuda, a dour, enigmatic figure who never seemed happy in his post and suffered from dismal public support ratings, was the second Japanese prime minister to resign in just over a year.
Aso, 68, a former foreign minister and party No. 2, rose quickly to fill the void in his fourth try for the party's top post and will bring a sharply different style to the government help.
Aso, who favors Cuban cigars and gold necklaces, has a reputation as a fighter who often gets in trouble for his off-the-cuff remarks. He smiles easily and always looks on the verge of issuing a wisecrack from the side of his mouth.
He has indicated he will emphasize economic policy as prime minister. He has warned that Japan must shore up its economy to protect against fallout from the financial crisis in the United States and must carry out reforms to deal with shrinking tax revenues caused by the rapid aging of its people.
