Rie Yamaki
Student, 24
Nobuteru Ishihara would be good as he is concerned with people. The other candidates are concerned about Japan as a country and not so much about the people.

Dairong Hang
Office worker (China)
Ishihara would be best. He is young, modern and forward thinking. But with so many problems in Japan, regardless of who is elected, they will all get the same failing results.

Yasuhiko Nakano
Corporate worker, 38
I think Taro Aso would be good as prime minister. A leader needs to be tough and Aso can lead boldly. A more conservative person cannot lead Japan at this difficult time.

Kazuko Horikita
Housewife
I want Yuriko Koike to win because she's honest. I like her ideas on helping rural Japan, the environment and giving more power to women.

Donald Patterson
Analyst, 33 (Canada)
I would like to see Junichiro Koizumi return to office, but that is unlikely so Koike is most likely to continue on with Koizumi's economic reform policies.

Kaname Sakurai
Student, 41
The LDP has failed to solve the problems of the pension, stagflation and education. Ichiro Ozawa would be a good prime minister and Japan needs change.