Unless one is a political analyst or blessed with an excellent memory, it is close to impossible to correctly rattle off the names of Japan's prime ministers since the late 1980s. There have simply been too many in that time.

Whoever wins Tuesday's election for president of the Liberal Democratic Party will probably serve as the nation's 11th prime minister in less than 14 years.

Few would deny that such a rapid turnover in leadership is contrary to the nation's national interests.