Is former Prime Minister Taro Aso solely to blame for the crushing defeat of his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in the Aug. 30 general election at the hands of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ)?
No, because even before the election campaign started, the party was beset by internal chaos and complacency.
Can the LDP recover from this defeat and once again become a viable force to challenge the DPJ? The answer is yes, but only if it can find a powerful leader capable of keeping its members unified.