JAPAN: Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda concedes defeat in election and resigns as head of the Democratic Party of Japan

Record ID: 466782

  • Title: JAPAN: Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda concedes defeat in election and resigns as head of the Democratic Party of Japan
  • Date: 16th December 2012
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (DECEMBER 16, 2012) (REUTERS) **CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY** BOARD SHOWING CANDIDATES NAME TAG IN JAPANESE READING: "ISHIHARA SHINTARO" BEING PASTED ON BOARD VARIOUS OF SHINTARO ISHIHARA WALKING ON STAGE AND SITTING DOWN PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKEO HIRANUMA PINNING FLOWER ON SHINTARO ISHIHARA'S NAME TAG WITH ISHIHARA LOOKING ON FLOWER PINNING IN PROGRESS ISHIHARA GIVING THE THUMBS UP REPORTERS ISHIHARA SHAKING HANDS SIGN IN JAPANESE READING: "RESTORATION" (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) JAPAN RESTORATION PARTY LEADER SHINTARO ISHIHARA, SAYING: "I wanted to create a strong second force and I feel I have made a big step forward." ISHIHARA LEAVING PEOPLE WALKING DOWN STREET ELECTRIC SIGNS (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 44-YEAR-OLD COMPANY EMPLOYEE TAKASHI YOKOYAMA, SAYING: "I get the feeling that instead of winning over the trust of the people it's more that I feel there wasn't anything else to choose." (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 58-YEAR-OLD YOKO TSUCHIYA, SAYING: "I really wonder if [Shinzo] Abe can actually do it? Noda? I like Noda. Abe is just a bunch of talk and a bit weak." CAR DRIVING DOWN ROAD PEOPLE WALKING
  • Embargoed: 31st December 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA7CO3AZKSPFAR2DWHCCR0CUBD
  • Story Text: Japanese Prime minister Yoshihiko Noda conceded defeat on Sunday (December 16) after the opposition Liberal Democratic Party of Japan won a landslide victory in the general elections.

    "The biggest responsibility for this loss lies with me as head of the party, and I will take full responsibility for this and resign as head of the Democratic Party of Japan," Noda told reporters in a news conference carried live nation-wide after his party took a resounding loss in the elections.

    "I feel that this is a result of us over three years and three months of us being unable to properly meet people's expectations and as such this is the judgement that they have given and that we must accept," he added.
    Japan's conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) surged back to power in the election on Sunday just three years after a devastating defeat, giving ex-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a chance to push his hawkish security agenda and radical economic recipe.
    An LDP win will usher in a government committed to a tough stance in a territorial row with China, a pro-nuclear energy policy despite last year's Fukushima disaster and a potentially risky prescription for hyper-easy monetary policy and big fiscal spending to beat deflation and tame a strong yen.
    Exit polls by television broadcasters showed the LDP winning nearly 300 seats in parliament's powerful 480-member lower house, while its ally, the small New Komeito party, looked set to win about 30 seats.

    "I get the feeling that instead of winning over the trust of the people it's more that I feel there wasn't anything else to choose," said Tokyo resident Takashi Yokoyama.

    "I really wonder if [Shinzo] Abe can actually do it? Noda? I like Noda. Abe is just a bunch of talk and a bit weak," said Yoko Tsuchiya.
    Parliament is expected to vote Abe in as prime minister on Dec. 26.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register