JAPAN Embarrassment of Exports S K Subramanian THE December 18, 3983 elections to the House of Representatives in Japan was essentially a plebiscite on the issue of 'political ethics' relating to the former prime minister, Kakuei Tanaka, who was convicted by a district court last October in the Lockheed bribery case. Though not a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Tanaka has wielded enormous influence over the LDP and has virtually been its king-maker. The December election was the result of the parliamentary deadlock over the joint opposition resolution calling for the voluntury resignation of Tanaka. The setback suffered by the LDP in the election was anticipated to some extent, but its loss of majority was not. From its earlier strength of 286 in the House of 511 seats, LDP could capture only 250 scats. As observed by Japan Times (December 20, 1983), "By either voting against the LDP or abstaining, many people disapproved of the way in which the LDP ignored the overwhelming public outcry for Tanaka's resignation".
