The nation goes to the polls Sunday for the Upper House election, which in essence is a battle between the coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party, New Komeito and the New Conservative Party on the one hand and the opposition group of the Democrats, Liberals, Communists and Social Democrats on the other.
Will the outcome of the election enable Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's coalition government to vigorously pursue its policies of resuscitating Japan through structural reform, both politically and economically?
Or will the Koizumi regime face such bitter criticism that it will be forced to modify its policies amid political and economic chaos?