Three weeks after its debut, the administration of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi continues to command high popularity. In opinion polls immediately after its inauguration April 26, the new administration received record approval ratings of over 80 percent. The "Koizumi boom" is likely to last for some time.
A variety of reasons can be given for this. The first is Koizumi's unique personality. He has long been called a "maverick" in political circles. While a member of the defunct Fukuda faction (headed by former Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda), he was something of a loner. He does not follow the crowd. He is not a theoretical type but rather a man of sensibility. He hates "harageri," a way of subtle communication that relies chiefly on psychological interaction. He expresses himself in plain language.
In many ways Koizumi is very different from his predecessor, former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori. In the Liberal Democratic Party's presidential election last month, Koizumi advocated a breakup of the intraparty factions and defeated former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, head of the largest faction. It was a dramatic victory that demonstrated his personal popularity not only with LDP members disillusioned with pork-barrel politics but also with the public.