in_the_media
Japan's election cycle brings constant turnover of leaders
Posted Aug 29, 2011
Media Outlet:
NPR, MSNBC, Telegraph (UK), Radio Australia, Agence France Presse
After serving only 14 months as prime minister, Naoto Kan was replaced by his finance minister, Yoshihiko Noda, as the new leader of Japan's ruling Democratic Party. He’s expected to be named prime minister Tuesday. Noda is the sixth prime minister in five years. Many blame Japan's complicated election cycle for the constant turnover. "The way they stagger elections, the upper house and the lower house, it's like a constant election season," said Jeff Kingston of Temple University, Japan Campus.