Junichiro Koizumi has "gambled and won big" following a landslide victory in the Japanese election. He has managed to push the main opposition into the background of Japanese politics besides controversial reforms such as the proposed postal sell-off. His party has also faced criticism for the country's involvement in the Iraq war. Japan had stationed 500 personnel, mainly engineers and medical staff, in the country providing humanitarian aid and helping to rebuild infrastructure. Two Japanese citizens have been killed in Iraq. One was a contractor, another a journalist. Both were kidnapped and later beheaded by insurgents.
Koizumi says he will stand down as leader of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party at the end of this term. [Reuters]
[23:09 GMT 11/09/2005]
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