JAPANESE ELECTIONS

Chronicle (Levin), 25 January 1949, Page 5

JAPANESE ELECTIONS

(N.Z.P.A.

— Reuter.

Democratic Liberals On Top But Comraunists Strong

Gomright)

Received Tuesday, 10.15 a.m. TOKIO,' Jan. 24. With all seats unofficially accounted for in the Japanese general election, the premier, Mr. Shigoru Yoshida, of the extremely ^donservative Democratic - Liberal s^Party, has now a clear-cut ma.jority'in the House of Representatives. The Communists have won 35 seats, thus getting a strong voice in the opposition. The new party strengths on the unofficial returns are: Democratic Libprals 263, Democrats 70, Socialists 49, Communists 35, People's Co-operative 14, Independents 12, other parties 23. The -strength of parties in the last Diet was: Deipo-cratic-LiberaJs 152, Socialists 2, Democrats 90, People's Co-operative 29, Communists 4. Observers agree that in the new Diet, whether or not the Democrats join the Democratic-Liberals in the Government, the opposition must deal strongly with the Communists or find them leading the opposition. For the Premier, Mr. Yoshida, tfre outcome of the election has justified t'he Diet dissolution. He has an absolute majority'for the first time, to carry out an austerity p'rogramme which he ajdmits will cause a decli'ne of popularity. The Japanese voters rejected the middle of road policips of the Socialists, Democrats ahd People's Co-operative parties. The Socialist Party president, Mr. Tetsu Katayama, ex-deputy-premier, Mr. Suchiro Nishio, exLabour minister, Mr. Kanjukato and his wife were amo-ng thoge who lost their seats.