The nation set to elect woman prime minister in landmark first
In the past twenty years, Japan has had more than 10 leaders.
Actually, a specialist likens assuming the country's top job to taking a "poisoned chalice".
But why does the country frequently replace prime ministers? This is partly because of it being a "single-party system", explains Prof James Brown of Temple University in Japan.
The Liberal Democratic Party's control on the political landscape means the main political competition comes from inside the party, instead of from external parties.
"Therefore inside the LDP there are intense conflicts within different factions - they all want their own clique to get the leadership position."
"Thus although you could be selected as prime minister, the moment you're in office, you have many individuals scheming to try to get you out again."
Key Factors Behind Frequent Changes
- Single-party rule limits outside challenges
- Party infighting drive power struggles
- The prime minister's position is frequently called a "poisoned chalice"
- Government continuity remains difficult to achieve despite economic strength
