Looking to the Post-Koizumi Era: Legacy and New Leadership

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will hold an election in September 2006 to replace Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. Since taking power in 2001, Prime Minister Koizumi has built up the U.S.-Japan alliance, expanded Japan's global influence, and reformed the Japanese economy. But his successors will have work to do in terms of improving relations with Northeast Asia and creating a fiscal framework for a rapidly aging society.

Our panelists, all keen and influential observers of Japanese politics, analyzed Koizumi’s legacy, the leadership styles of his potential successors, and the key challenges they will face.

• Yukiko Amakawa, associate professor, Chiba Institute of Science
• Leonard Schoppa, professor, Department of Politics, University of Virginia
• Tsuneo Watanabe, adjunct fellow, CSIS's Japan Chair; senior fellow, Mitsui Global Strategic Studies Institute
• Bojiang Yang, visiting fellow, Brookings Institution

Moderator: Michael Green, senior adviser and holder of CSIS's Japan Chair