Japan ruling party warns voters against change

TOKYO (AP)– Kicking off a month of campaigning for Japan's parliament, senior ruling party lawmakers warned voters Wednesday they should not abandon the party that has governed their nation for most of the post-World War II era.

AP – Japan's Prime Minister Taro Aso bows at the end of a press conference after dissolving the lower house …

Analysts are predicting the elections for parliament's powerful lower house, to be held Aug. 30, could be disastrous for the Liberal Democratic Party, which has governed Japan with only a short break since its founding in 1955.

But in a theme likely to be repeated often in the upcoming election campaigns, several prominent ruling party lawmakers told a news conference Wednesday the opposition Democratic Party of Japan is inexperienced and cannot be trusted with control of the world's second-largest economy.

"I would welcome the DPJ to grow up to constitute one of the pillars of a two-party system," said lawmaker Kuniko Inoguchi. "But this season, this summer, they are not well prepared."

Recent opinion polls indicate many voters will defect to the opposition because of anger over Japan's economic troubles and because they do not support Prime Minister Taro Aso, who is seen as lacking in leadership and has made several gaffes since taking office last September.

Democratic Party leader Yukio Hatoyama, who polls say has a higher support rating than Aso, has vowed the elections will mark a "revolution" in Japanese politics and has said the party sees winning the polls as its "historic mission."

The DPJ favors a more independent stance from the U.S., a smaller bureaucracy and more international peacekeeping missions for Japan's military. It is also expected to try to spend its way out of the recession by funneling more money to families.

Yukari Sato, another well-known ruling party lawmaker, criticized the Democrats' reputation as big spenders who have not clarified where they would find new money.

Voters, she said, face a fundamental political question.

"Do you want conservatism? Or do you want new socialism for Japan?" she said.

Some economists have expressed similar skepticism.

"The core of the DPJ's economic policy seems to be a fantasy Robin Hood scheme, aimed at appealing to as many voters as possible," said Richard Jerram, chief economist at Macquarie Securities in Tokyo.

But voters appear to be highly dissatisfied with the status quo, and the ruling party is desperately trying to keep them from jumping ship.

Facing a revolt from within the party, Aso dissolved parliament on Tuesday and set the date for the elections. He had until October to make that call, but caved in after his party was routed in local elections last week and members of his own party threatened to dump him.

At Wednesday's news conference, the lawmakers acknowledged that the Liberal Democrats have squandered their public support, and must make a new start.

"The LDP must also restructure itself," Inoguchi said.