A generally accepted view is that the opposition Democratic Party of Japan is bent on forcing Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda to dissolve the Lower House and call general elections just as soon as possible, while the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito seeks to put off the elections at least until after the July summit meeting of the Group of Eight industrialized nations in Hokkaido, or preferably until the expiration of the Lower House members' tenure in September next year.
A close look at what has happened between late last year and January indicates, however, that the words and deeds of none other than Fukuda, who is president of the LDP, and DPJ head Ichiro Ozawa do not conform to this wisdom.
There appears to be little sign of serious confrontation between the two. Perhaps it is their wishy-washy attitudes that make it difficult to predict just when the nation will go to the polls.