Don't Fear Japan's Changing Of The Guard

A man casts his vote for the house of representatives election at a polling station in Tokyo, Japan, on Aug. 30, 2009. Voting officially began Sunday morning for a general election in which Japan may see a change of power for only the second time since 1955.(Xinhua/Ren Zhenglai)

From Foreign Policy:

The latest Japanese polls indicate that the Democratic Party of Japan, led by Yukio Hatoyama, is likely to inflict a crushing defeat on the Liberal Democrats, the country's long-time governing party. The DPJ, which won control of Japan's Upper House in 2007, could win as many as 300 seats in the Lower House, roughly equaling former Prime Minister's results in 2005, and sending a strong message both domestically and internationally that the victory is no fluke. That said, a DPJ victory is not likely to lead to a sea change in the U.S.-Japan alliance. In fact, the greater concern is that the United States doesn't respond enough and fails to give Japan its due as a great power.

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My Comment: The U.S. and Japan have to many shared interests. This election is not going to change anything significant in the relationship.