A Change in the Weather

Rain, at last, and a respite from record-breaking summer temperatures!

The cooler weather coincided with a vote to choose the leader of Japan's Minshuto (Democratic Party). Since the Minshuto holds a majority in Congress, the new party leader would automatically become Japan's Prime Minister. The winner is the incumbent, Naoto Kan.

When I wrote about Japan's first-ever, postwar, rotation of the majority/minority political parties (Japan's Road to Popular Empowerment, Adams Press, 2001), the book was subtitled "The Story So Far". In that book, Mr. Kan was given a brief mention as a minority party grassroots organizer in Okayama Prefecture. Now he has become a two-term Prime Minister.

Whether he is good, bad, or indifferent as the top leader remains to be seen. What is important to notice is that a new set of characters is moving into the top positions in Japan.

The times, they are a'changing.