Opposition steps up pressure on Aso to resign

...but who's next?....

"The Asahi, a major newspaper, released results of a survey that showed 30 out of 47 local ruling party chapters said the Liberal Democratic Party should keep Aso until elections are held, rather than sacking him and having another leader take over."

I wouldn't call that so much 'good news' as much as I would call just being sick of leaders quitting/getting sacked; this would be the fifth PM in two years or so if Aso stepped down. He SHOULD step down, and you bet your bottom dollar that they would demand it if elections weren't a little later this year, but I think they are just praying things don't get worse until then. Deciding who should replace Aso, spending a lot of money on it, etc., is just too much, and people are fed up.

Aso-san is a bit of a pathetic figure. He is afterall best known for his inability to secure even 1 vote in the LDP election that saw Koizumi become PM. Anyway, with Abe heading for the door soon after his APEC holiday in Australia, and Fukuda also canning himself once he realized that being PM was not such a hot gig afterall, the LDP were left with no other choice than to select the "Bore of the Bar" Aso-san. Considering all the backroom deals that probably underpin Aso's current position as caretaker PM (until the election), it is safe to assume that the real people with power in the LDP warned him to "not stuff things up." Unfortunately, however, with that patrician sneer and a total lack of personality, it was only a matter of time before Aso shot himself in the foot.

Don't let the door hit you on the way Taro!

HOLY CRAP!! I DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING!!

Next...

S

5 in 2 years... Way to go Japan...

I would imagine the party is hanging on waiting for citizens to get their 12,000 yen bribe before calling the election, but it seems they can't even get that organised with the date of it having been rolled back a number of times.

Time to settle down and get a stable leader,Japan....

This just illustrates the foolishness of the opposition.

Do they really, really want to lose??

Aso is their golden ticket to power. Getting rid of him will risk everything. Ugh..

Call elections to get the public mandate, or step down immediately!

What I don't understand is why other parties are not demanding he step down and why the public is putting up with less than 10% support in a leader. There would be riots in the streets of other countries with those numbers.

The sheeple deserve to have such a crappy leader but sadly I live here too and am paying the price.

There would be riots in the streets of other countries with those numbers.

I didn't see riots in the US or Taiwan - they had unpopular leaders.

The sheeple deserve to have such a crappy leader but sadly I live here too and am paying the price.

Yeah, shame that Japanese are law-abiding and wait until elections to vent their frustration. Of course you forget that if there were riots you might just possibly be on the receiving end.

I hate to say it Japan. BUT I TOLD YOU SO!!!!!

Aso is an incompetent fool. As just about everyone but the LDP knew well before he was dropped into office. His staff are an incompetent collection of his buddies. Far better at screw ups than their jobs. And the the rotting LDP corpse is starting to stink.

Call an election and get on with sorting out the country. How much lower than 10% do you need to go before you stop smiling and get out of the way Aso? You have exceeded even my expectations for how terrible you would be in office. At least Fukuda was smart enough to bail out. And who couldn't feel sorry for Abe when the job nearly killed the poor man?

But you Aso. You are a pathetic clown smiling and joking your way around town as PM while the nation sinks into unknown depths of economic decline.

I didn't see riots in the US or Taiwan - they had unpopular leaders.

True, but Bush, even in his lowest ratings, was about twice as popular as Aso.

"True, but Bush, even in his lowest ratings, was about twice as popular as Aso."

True, but how long was Bush in the White House?

What does it matter what crony they push forward to embarress themselves next. It is just to be hoped that when power is ripped away from the LDPs cold dead hands the general population isn't dumb enough to vote them straight back into office as they have done for an eternity now.

The prime minister got a bit of good news Thursday, however. The Asahi, a major newspaper, released results of a survey that showed 30 out of 47 local ruling party chapters said the Liberal Democratic Party should keep Aso until elections are held, rather than sacking him and having another leader take over.

I wouldn't call the endorsement of a bunch of half-senile yokels good news. However, it's no bad thing if this serves to remind people that if they want someone to blame for this prize idiot becoming Prime Minister, they need look no further than their local LDP chapters and representatives.

ldp resign.

Place your bets.

How many days, weeks, or months does Aso and his cabinet have before collapsing?

I really thought that Aso could last for 1 year.

Don't Japanese have votes of no confidence in the government to force an election. Strewth, if this Aso bloke has less than 10% of public support an taht, then surely he must call an election as part of his public duty, after all he are a public servant less we forget.