Maybe its Just me but I'm confused.

     I have been following this story for a number of days and I can't seem to tell wether Ozawa is coming or going, but then agian niether does the DPJ for that matter.  To summarize at a meeting between PM Fukuda and Ozawa last week someone put forward the idea of a grand coalition government.  Ozawa accepted but was turned down by his party and as a result decided to step down.  Then over the weekend he vacilated until today when he decided to stay on.  The DPJ was seriously hurt by all this, and made to look, well rather incompetent.  Either this was the savviest political manuver in recent memory by Fukuda to marginalize his main opposiotn or just a gift dropped into his lap is unknown, but he benefits either way.

Analysis from the Japan Times: DPJ misses chance to come to the fore.

    
Last Friday when Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Ichiro Ozawa, leader of the Democratic Party of Japan, entertained a possible grand coalition, this sent shock waves through the political world only to be superseded by the chaos in the wake of Ozawa's abrupt offer Sunday to quit his party's helm.

     Up to last week, the DPJ had been on a roll, gaining political strength and repeatedly pushing Fukuda to dissolve the Lower House and call a general election as soon as possible. But now, political analysts think the DPJ's weakened state has foreclosed on this scenario.[color]

     The analysts agree Ozawa's mere consideration of joining hands with the Liberal Democratic Party-New Komeito ruling bloc and his offer to quit as DPJ chief after his colleagues scotched the coalition overture have severely damaged the DPJ's image as the largest opposition force.

     The later the election, "the more convenient it is for the LDP because it could spend those days regaining popularity and (erasing its) scandals," said Hidekazu Kawai, a professor of political science at Chubu University. "Meanwhile, the DPJ would be struggling to resolve its internal troubles."

And more from the Yomuiri Shimbun: Ozawa withdraws offer to quit / Decision to be confirmed at DPJ meeting.

     Democratic Party of Japan President Ichiro Ozawa said he would withdraw his resignation as party leader and instead remain in the post, DPJ Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama said Tuesday night.

     "I feel I've made an exhibition of myself, but I'd like to give it another go," Ozawa was quoted by Hatoyama as saying during a meeting in which Hatoyama and other party executives tried to persuade the him to stay on.

     Hatoyama told reporters that he had returned the letter of resignation Ozawa submitted to him.

     What will the DPJ do now?  Who knows, but it willbe very difficult for them to overcome this as they move forward with several key debates in the Diet in the coming weeks.  The extension of Japan's participation in Indian ocean operations and the DPJ's own counter proposal, the SDF dispatch law and various domestic issues remain to be tackled.  The coming days should be interesting indeed.

Posted by: raging tachikoma at 11:13 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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