With Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's major victory in the Upper House election on July 29, Japanese politics has entered into a new phase.
It is auspicious that this second phase began Aug. 3, the 100th day of the Koizumi government.
On that same day, there was an open clash between Koizumi and Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka. Although the incident ended with the foreign minister giving in to her boss, it nonetheless appeared to symbolize the weakness inherent in the Koizumi government.