Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who pledged to "destroy" his own Liberal Democratic Party when he became its president five years ago, will probably be remembered for putting in place much-needed structural reforms.
But as Koizumi marks his fifth year in office Wednesday, many observers say his administration will also be remembered for souring Japan's relations with other parts of Asia and for chipping away at the middle class.
As of April 5, Koizumi already became the nation's third-longest-serving postwar prime minister, trailing two others who also left a mark -- Eisaku Sato and Shigeru Yoshida.