Ohira loses face and muscle
Beefy, forceful Premier Masayoshi Ohira is affectionately, and sometimes not so affectionately, known as "the Bull.' After last week's parliamentary elections he appeared to be about as invincible and fire-breathing as Ferdinand. Gloated one opposition leader: "This election was his idea completely, and he fell flat on his face."
On the surface, Ohira's performance at the polls might have seemed respectable enough: his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (L.D.P.) increased its popular vote from 42% to 44.6%. The party maintained its plurality in the 511-member lower house of the Diet by winning 248 seats, only one less...
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