Japan's main opposition party picks new leader

They will never get into power. This is not really newsworthy.

He has pledged to strengthen programs to assist the poor and needy in an apparent effort to draw a contrast with the ruling party's generally pro-business policies.

That the LDP is able to neglect the less well off and paint itself as "pro-business" despite waves of bankruptcies, stagnant and falling salaries and precarious job conditions and still win elections says a lot about their grip on power.

I'm actually more interested in the body language of those on stage. Particularly between men and women, as well as between young and old.

David BrentToday  07:08 am JST

They will never get into power.

Why not? The LDP have been beaten before. It could happen again if the CDPJ get their act together. Possibly that won't happen but I will be curious to see what this new leader does.

"...They do the hokey-pokey and they turn themselves around...that's what it's (almost) all about!"

Fight-o! lol

Young face, let's see how they do against the successors of Kishida.

Was it decided by a fistpump contest?

Because there's no solid policymakers here.

Izumi faces the difficult task of uniting Japan's fractured opposition bloc in the face of the Liberal Democratic Party, which has ruled Japan for nearly all of the past seven decades.

Seven decades!! And people call this a democracy?? LOL

Must be "Ganbare"!

its celebrated founder Yukio Edano stepped down 

Celebrated? Is that sarcasm in the news article?

instead, the LDP under new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida secured a strong majority.

While the Ishin party was the winner, making significant gains. Even polling higher than CDPJ now last I saw.

fxgaiToday  09:54 am JST

"its celebrated founder Yukio Edano stepped down "

Celebrated? Is that sarcasm in the news article?

Maybe a bad translation.

"instead, the LDP under new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida secured a strong majority."

While the Ishin party was the winner, making significant gains. Even polling higher than CDPJ now last I saw.

Ishin is not the party in power and the article is not about them.

Ah_soToday  08:17 am JST

I'm actually more interested in the body language of those on stage. Particularly between men and women, as well as between young and old.

It's sickening. All this 'rah-rah' crap with shouting and fist pumps. So 'Sieg heil'. A revolting sight. Or for that manner, I remember a scene from 1971 China where everyone waves Mao's Red Book and shouts 'Cho!' repeatedly.

No matter how you slice it, the very sight of this makes me wanna puke. It's so damn disgusting.

Ooooh a fist clench! Now we know we've got decent opposition!

I'd like to know who started this omnipresent fisting meme.