The Party
The Liberal Democratic Party has governed Japan by itself or in a coalition for all but 10 months since it was founded in 1955. Representing a broad conservative base and strongly pro-US, the party has long depended on farmers, big business and large swaths of the middle-class for its support.
The party is generally credited with helping lead the nation from the devastation of World War II to become the world's second-largest economy. But it has also been wracked by scandal and is ridden with internal factions.
The Issues
The well-being of Japan's still-fragile economic recovery is on the top of most voters' priority lists. Concerns are high over what impact the financial crisis in the United States will have, and on how Japan's leadership will deal with revenue shortages resulting from the rapid aging of the nation's population, which means more people collecting pensions and using health care and fewer young workers entering the job market and paying taxes.
What's Ahead
Parliament is to convene on Wednesday to vote on a replacement for Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda. Mr Aso, as the new head of the ruling party, is virtually assured of winning that vote because his party controls the lower chamber, which has the final say. But the focus has already shifted to when general elections will be held.
The opposition, which won a majority in the upper house in July last year, is demanding elections for the lower house be held immediately, and the media has reported the Liberal Democrats could be forced to comply as early as next month.
Elections must be called by September next year, but the prime minister can dissolve parliament at any time. -- AP