In 2007 it was Shinzo Abe. In 2008 it was Yasuo Fukuda and in 2009 it is Taro Aso.
In each of the past three years, Japan has kicked off the new year with a different prime minister. With the support rate for Aso and his Cabinet plunging, his administration — which started only three months ago — is already on the rocks. And the ruling Liberal Democratic Party must do something fast, and convincing, before the general election deadline in September unless it wants to be consigned to an opposition role.
The current and two former leaders of Japan have two things in common — their fathers or grandfathers had been prime ministers and they each decisively won their party's presidential elections.