Leading article: The art of political escapology
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.It wasn't long ago that his omens looked grim. At home, Japan remained marooned in a decade-long recession. Abroad, his unswerving support for the United States was unpopular, especially once it involved the presence of Japanese troops in Iraq. It seemed that the Japanese might finally be ready to contemplate life without Mr Koizumi or the Liberal Democrat Party. Now those calculations have turned to ashes and it will be the turn of the leader of the opposition Democrats, Katsuya Okada, to taste the bitter gall of defeat.
The secret of Mr Koizumi's resurrection has been simple. He picked on the single issue of the privatisation of the post office and, by presenting it as the litmus test of support for reform in general, positioned himself and his party as the one force for progress in a country for too long dominated by a range of murky vested interests.
Koizumi's victory will offer food for thought to many a struggling leader beyond Japan's borders on the theme of brand identity and the desirability of offering voters a simple choice.
In the meantime, Japan has signed up for several more years under the Liberal Democrats, a party that has governed the country uninterrupted since the end of the Second World War.
Whether the cause of Japanese democracy is best served by that development remains to be seen.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments