General elections in Japan will be held on 30 August 2009 for all seats of the House of Representatives, which designates a Prime Minister of Japan. In the election, it is widely expected that the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) will defeat the ruling coalition (Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and New Komeito Party), ending its 50 year near-uninterrupted control of government. According to a recent poll conducted by the Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan’s largest newspaper, 41 percent said they would vote for the DPJ, while 24 percent for the LDP.

The Japanese Communist Party (JCP) also expects to increase its share of seats, with some opinion polls suggesting that it could possibly overtake New Komeito as the third largest party in the lower house.

The last election took place in 2005 in which the LDP led by popular prime minister Junichiro Koizumi won in landslide, enabling him to complete the privatization of Japan Post. Since then Japan has had three further prime ministers – Shinzo Abe, Yasuo Fukuda and Taro Aso – who have come to power without there being a general election.

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