It says much about present government activity in Japan that its most accomplished reformer has become a symbol of frustrated political ambition. Not since the upper-house elections in 1998 has Koichi Kato held office in the Liberal Democratic Party (ldp), which has dominated Japanese politics almost since its birth in 1955. Mr Kato's resignation in the summer of 1998 as the party's secretary-general, along with the prime minister of the time, Ryutaro Hashimoto, brought to a limp end a historic programme of reforms which, on paper at least, promised revolution.
展开▼
