Koizumi quits politics

 
Just a day after Taro Aso got the biggest seat in Japanese politics, former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi admitted to reporters’ questioning whether he is finally quitting or not from the recent circus that has become of Japan’s political community. Koizumi is not talking about his reasons yet, but words on the street (political circles) claims that he might be disappointed with how the LDP election turned out, or plainly speaking he didn’t want Aso to become the new Prime Minister. It is clear even before the LDP election that Koizumi supported another candidate, Yuriko Koike, there’s no secret about that.

But what is not clear is why would the election of Aso lead to Koizumi’s retirement. Did Koizumi dislike the fact that his open support for Koike did not have any substantial effect on the rest of LDP politicians? Meaning he does not have persuasive power anymore even towards his own party?  Or is he just disappointed with what LDP has become these days? Either way it means he is disappointed with how the general politics of Japan is turning out.

Or maybe he thought he has earned the right to retire after all his hard work in reforming Japanese politics, not to mention his work on the privatization of the Japan Post? I don’t think so, the timing is so profound to be just a coincidence. My take on this is that he is trying to make a final statement, that his reforms are not be confused with the actions of the LDP leaders that have followed after him. Well, we’ll just have to wait for Koizumi to make clear the motive behind his action.