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Recent newspaper opinion polls have suggested the opposition party is well-placed to make considerable gains, and put Hatoyama ahead of Aso as the people's choice as prime minister. The Liberal Democrats currently have 303 seats in the 480-seat lower house, and their partner Komeito has 31. The Democratic Party has just 112. But Aso, who took office in September last year, has been dogged by criticism that he has failed to do enough to bring Japan
-- the world's second-largest economy -- out of its current recession or demonstrate leadership on other key issues such as global warming. For months, the opposition has stalled or blocked Aso on several political fronts while it has demanded elections be called, creating gridlock in parliament that Japanese voters appear to be increasingly unwilling to accept.
[Associated
Press;
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