Six months have passed since the Democratic Party of Japan ousted the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party from power. But whether there will be a fundamental change to the nation's political system will depend not just on the lawmakers but on the behavior of voters.

Tensions remain between the DPJ-led coalition and the United States over relocation of a U.S. Marine base in Okinawa. Does the dispute reflect the new government's policy of reviewing the alliance with Washington?

Veteran journalists from Britain discussed these and other issues, looking at parallels and differences between Japanese and British experiences during a symposium organized by Keizai Koho Center in Tokyo on March 5. Tetsuro Kikuchi, the editor and managing director of the Mainichi Shimbun daily, served as moderator of the discussions.