New Japanese Prime Minister Faces Same Problems

Japan's ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) elected former Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda to replace Naoto Kan as the party's leader Aug. 29, setting the stage for Noda to become the next prime minister. The DPJ faces a number of weighty issues — not only political and economic, but also on the foreign policy front — but tensions within the party itself are its most pressing crisis. Considering the wide array of problems that must be addressed, Noda is unlikely to experience any more success than his predecessor.