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Opposition calls for early poll in Japan

TOKYO, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Japan’s opposition parties mounted pressure Monday against Yasuo Fukuda as he prepared to take over as next prime minister, succeeding Shinzo Abe.

Soon after Fukuda’s election as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan called for an early general election, Kyodo news service reported.

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DPJ General Secretary Yukio Hatoyama was quoted as saying “a Cabinet that does not have the public's trust will soon collapse.” Hatoyama cited the LDP-led government’s loss of control of the upper house of Parliament in elections in July.

Separately, the Japanese Communist Party claimed Fukuda would only follow the policies of the previous government, which the public has already rejected.

The Social Democratic Party charged the new leader would not be able to resolve the scandals that had plagued the Abe Cabinet because of Fukuda’s selection through backroom negotiations, the report said.

Fukuda is virtually assured of becoming the next prime minister because of his party’s comfortable majority in the lower house of Parliament.

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