Earlier this month I asked this group and others to pick the winners of the DPJ and LDP leadership election, as well as the next prime minister. I got responses from 20 people. We now have the results for the first two parts.

For the DPJ, 18 out of 20 picked Noda. For the LDP, zero out of 20 picked Abe. Four picked Ishiba, who at least came in second. Eleven picked Ishihara.

For the PM vote, of course no one picked Abe but six picked Noda, and one Hashimoto, so they are still alive.

jc