Do you think Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's days in office are numbered?

Question: Do you think Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's days in office are numbered?

Answer: It means that you don't have much longer - this can be a threat that you will die in a certain number of days, or it can just be a vague threat meaning that you won't be as powerful as you are now.

Who is making this guess? The LDP or the people of Japan?

Okay, let's get the bets going. I can't remember who won the Kan T-shirt (was it Disillusioned?), but let's get another one going for Noda estimates. I say that within the week Tanigaki demands he resign, and he will vow to stay in office until the next election 'for the stability of Japan' -- meaning he'll be out at the end of June or early July.

Yes, happily...

Let's be honest. Noda's days were numbered even before he was selected to become PM. And the next PM after him will also have his days numbered... because the Japanese government hasn't had any "real leadership" since Koizumi, and no one else will be given the chance to stay in office more than 1 year. So, asking if the PM's days are numbered is like asking if the Japanese people eat rice?

@American Devil: PRECISELY! No further comment needed.

Such is Japanese politics, once anyone enters the office of the PM the clock starts to count down.

Let's hope there are no more Koizumis 'cause this nitwit helped lead Japan down the path toward financial frustration. Too bad his term wasn't cut much shorter. As for Noda, like the others since, he too is riding on a slippery pole.

Just hope the now-famous corrupt LDP doesn't get back in power, 'cause if they do the downward spiral will just quicken. As least Noda is trying to hold the pieces of Japan together, but there's not much support for him and his cabinet anymore.

Wonder how the Socialists or Communists would do if they could take over the reigns of government? But we'll never know as they is no way they will win a general election.

Hey! Hey! its the Japanese way to change PM every 6 months... keeps everyone confused like they want.

Yes, because the one-year term for Japanese prime ministers is fast approaching.

Yes, because the one-year term for Japanese prime ministers is fast approaching.

If he lasts a full year he will do better than any other Prime Minister since Koizumi. What is the count up to now? I think it is something like, 16 PMs in 15 years. I guess one would conclude this country lacks leadership.

He didn't listen to the people. Granted that politician history have not but when in reversed his position on Nuclear Power, he and probably his party are finished. As for who can make a coalition, that probably depends on their stand on nuclear power. Since this is now a hot button issue in Japan, probably any group that can make a decent energy policy without nuclear power even if it means government take over of the Power companies will have majority support but more importantly, groups who support restart of nuclear power are finished. Noda's critical mistake was that he didn't do what Germany's Merkel did... quickly announce a policy to phase out nuclear power. You would think that any Japanese politician knowing the history of "nuclear" in Japan would have known better. Hmm, could his reversal mean that Japan is planning or is holding nuclear bombs? Wasn't there an article about Japan's stockpile of plutonium?

More so now then ever, after his ridiculous press conf last night. If he really wants to protect people's livelihoods, we all should have learned a lesson from Fukushima, phase out nuclear power, offer govt subsidies (much like eco points but in a greater scale) to businesses that develop alternative energy. This guy and the J-govt is just sooo out of touch with reality it's not even funny any more.

ka_chan Jun. 09, 2012 - 05:25AM JST. Noda's critical mistake was that he didn't do what Germany's Merkel did... quickly announce a policy to phase out nuclear power.

And replace it with what? Since Fukushima disaster, Japan electricity producers are scrambling to ensure an adequate supply. Even Germany will have to get by with importing massive amounts of nuclear produced electricity from France if it is to stave off blackouts. In Japan, It’s easy to say let’s just go for renewables, and I’m quite sure Japan can someday do without nuclear, but this is too abrupt. The German government’s shutdown decision was adrupt and emotional and there will be periods of nuclear shortage and France was always asked to come to the rescue. The nuclear-produced electricity imports from France is the question of whether Germany is simply displacing the nuclear problem from its own soil to that of its neighbor. Germany must see this as an intermediate and not a permanent solution. Japan does not have luxury of intermediate solutions compare to Germany.

This quick survey is just an example of the "I want it now" attitude that society has today. It is similar to the "What's taking so long?" when a person goes to a restaurant that actually cooks the food after the arrival rather than before or instantly such as at the fast food hamburger places. It takes time to institute changes, evaluate, and modify. The politicians need some time, but if they react by continually having new elections, then Japan will become the eastern Italy, which has had 55 or more governments in 50 years.

What does it matter? They will simply roll in a new puppet for the people so everyone will settle down for a while. It is completely irrelevant who is at the podium. People need to realize this.

To whoever downvoted do you honestly think that whatever idiot they put in front of the people is actually making the decisions and doing so for the people? If so, you hare incredibly naive at best.

Well he just returned from the G20 summit....his predecessors in recent memory, Kan, Aso, Abe and friends all departed right after their G20 VIP photo ops! I think it is a curse! But seriously I do think Noda will be around a while still...