The first year of the 21st century has been plagued by terror, confusion and instability. The Sept. 11 terror blitz in the United States changed long-standing perceptions about the world, civilization and war overnight. Toward the end of the year, the U.S.-led allied forces succeeded in their retaliatory military campaign, while a temporary lull prevailed in the volatile Middle East. However, it will take a long time to heal the wounds inflicted upon the world by the terrorist attacks.
For the past year, Japan has experienced turbulence and chaos. Last April, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi took power, ending a long rule by the governing Liberal Democratic Party's old guard that had fostered strong public distrust of politics. The change was widely perceived as a revolution in the ruling camp. Since then, the Koizumi Cabinet has enjoyed sky-high popularity ratings. However, Koizumi's reform agenda is being stymied by the LDP old guard and is threatened by the ongoing recession. Japan now faces the prospect of a simultaneous economic slowdown with the United States. A worldwide depression is a real possibility as well.
Nevertheless, the Koizumi administration is likely to retain political leadership for at least the coming half year for the following reasons: