The Liberal Democratic Party’s formal departure from decades of faction-based politics has raised questions about its real commitment to political reform and a break from old party politics.
The result of only two weeks of debate and hastily approved Thursday just before parliament convenes, the LDP's party reform interim report appears light on firm actions and risks leaving unpleasant repercussions inside the party.
Despite all the high-sounding talk and the apparent commitment to a new beginning, experts agree it would likely take longer than two weeks of hurried debate to eradicate what’s long been seen as a defining trait of the party.