Taro Aso

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's defeated Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Monday picked a former finance minister as its new leader, handing him the challenge of rebuilding a battered party that had ruled for most of the past 54 years. Despite the LDP's historic election loss last month, many voters say in polls they want to see the healthy revival of the long-dominant party to provide a rival to the novice Democratic Party of Japan, support for which is high -- but fragile. But the fact that the new party chief, 64-year-old Sadakazu Tanigaki, has been in parliament for 26 years and defeated two younger ... Read Full Story

Japan's new centre-left Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama took power on Wednesday in a fresh start for Asia's top economy, which had been under conservative rule for almost all of the post-war era. Hatoyama, head of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), was voted in by parliament two and a half weeks after his party's stunning election victory changed the country's political landscape. "I'm thrilled with the joy of creating history, and at the same time I feel the very grave responsibility for creating history," Hatoyama earlier told reporters as he left his house in the morning. Japan's usually risk-averse voters, tired with a stagnant ... Read Full Story

Japan's conservative Liberal Democratic Party will choose a new leader on Monday as it struggles to rebuild following a crushing election defeat last month. Three lawmakers campaigned to replace Taro Aso, who stepped down as LDP president and prime minister after the August 30 election rout ended the party's nearly unbroken reign for half a century. Local media have said former finance minister Sadakazu Tanigaki, 64, is the favourite to win. Tanigaki, a political dove who has also held a number of other cabinet posts and is known as a consensus builder, is up against younger rivals Taro Kono and Yasutoshi Nishimura, both 46. ... Read Full Story

Japan's political leaders made final pleas for votes Saturday on the eve of landmark elections expected to end half a century of almost unbroken conservative rule and bring to power a centre-left party. Polls predict the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) will trounce Prime Minister Taro Aso's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has been in power for all but 10 months since its founding in 1955. The DPJ could win more than 300 seats in the 480-seat lower house, the Yomiuri Shimbun daily has predicted after it questioned more than 85,000 voters, pointing to the "DPJ's overwhelming momentum". "It takes courage to change ... Read Full Story

Japan's conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) chose former finance minister Sadakazu Tanigaki as its new leader Monday as it struggles to rebuild after a crushing election defeat last month. Tanigaki, 64, a political dove who has also held a number of other cabinet posts and is known as a consensus builder, was elected as LDP president, beating younger rivals Taro Kono and Yasutoshi Nishimura, both 46. He won 300 votes against 144 for Kono and 54 for Nishimura. In the ballot, LDP lawmakers cast 199 votes and party members 300. Tanigaki replaces Taro Aso, who stepped down as LDP president and prime minister after ... Read Full Story