New DPJ leader Kaieda says party is 'necessary for Japan'

looks like they are doing a sieg heil in the picture.

"I'd say the DPJ is more necessary than ever"

The clear majority of voters disagree.

Keep it up, DPJ.

The adversity should be kept alive because it is a good evil in democracy to produce the finest end products. China with one political party does not have this political process. Go for democracy!!

"New DPJ leader Banri Kaieda (C) raises his fists with outgoing Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda (R), and former transport minister Sumio Mabuchi, after Tuesday's election."

The DPJ is dead, but it's Necromatic leadership does not know it.

Glad to see them go, but even better was Ms Tanaka getting the boot.

It will be a great new year!!!

@7solace9 Do you know what a child is? thats the CC party. How do you handle a kid? IGNORING IT.

DPJ could never put their acts together as one party and not only did they fail to deliver on their manifesto turned out they didn't even believe in it themselves. Kaieda is likely to bring the DPJ back to their original leftist stance and clearly pro-China. Would be interested to confirm whether they maintain their support for the sales tax hike that Noda pushed through. If not, very likely that they will be joining forces with Ozawa's Future Party.

"( DPJ ) party is necessary for Japan"

The clear majority of voters would disagree.

Well, given that the voter turn-out in the most recent election was only 59% that's not really saying much. Moreover, given that the "clear majority of voters" have opted for stale old men with stale old ideas, I couldn't care less what they think.

@7solace 9, I agree that the DPJ committed some " mistakes" but then the others did so too, didn't they? I just believe that the formation of other parties which seem to be worth reckoning, divided the voters. Given that the Jpeople are somewhat passive and agressive groups enjoin people to vote for their selected candidates to the extent of fetching voters to and fro, DPJ somewhat relying on voters' personal judgment only would get defeated. I just hope they'll rise again.

I preferred the DPJ because they had a greater focus on the economy and the development of a balanced interdependence with their neighbors without stirring up old nationalist sentiments. They seemed more forward oriented and careful. So, their three years seem like a foreshadowing of things to come. On the other hand, I like that the LDP is keeping a more harmonious relationship with the US, but that is all I can say. And, I suppose that the LDP will ride on the economic after effects of PM Noda's work.

As far as how the DPJ lost so many votes, there is the impression that the LDP made it back into office largely because of two mistakes by the DPJ and some dangerous promises in the election bid of the LDP. The two mistakes by the DPJ seem to have been the government purchase of a few of the Senkaku islands, which does not change the historical and legal facts that would determine ownership and which aggravated China to the alarm of Japan's citizens. Then, the DPJ started targeting the Yakuza for tighter scrutiny and restrictions before the election. The combination of these two would seem to have caused unrest with the Yakuza and Nationalists so that the LDP's election bid, which included pressing article 9 revision, Yasukuni shrine visits while in office and dismissal of their neighbor's review of historical accounts in textbooks, very attractive to the Yakuza and Nationalist's influential vote (which probably turned out to be more influential given the only 51% voter turnout).

Like the US though, I hope that the LDP will carefully limit its more dangerous election promises while in office so that they do not alienate their neighbors or erode the last sixty years of rapprochement and so that they keep as close as possible to a pacifist constitution which allows for such a beautiful and productive culture in Japan, making changes that allow for only greater stability in self-defense. It is also good to see that the LDP will be working closely with the US whose military umbrella is still a major benefit at this time.

The clear majority of voters would disagree.

Sheesh talk about kicking someone when they're down. Look at basically any party in a parliamentary system like Japan's (Canada, U.K., Australia etc..) and you'll find historical election results as bad as what the DPJ just suffered. One bad defeat doesn't mean they need to go away permanently. They still got the second most number of seats and for what it's worth given the hawkish nature of the 1st and 3rd most powerful parties right now I'd say the DPJ is more necessary than ever.

"( DPJ ) party is necessary for Japan"

The clear majority of voters would disagree.

“The other role is the DPJ as a reformist party. We have forgotten that we are a reformist party, haven’t we?”

When there will be ONE woman, even in the background of a pick, you will have the right to use the word reformist. Until then, keep using plain traditional japanese, that's fine.

to keep party from collapsing

don't worry, forming a new party in Japan is not so difficult, look at "Mirai no to" was formed just days before election !