Japan set to choose woman prime minister in historic first
In the past twenty years, the country has seen over ten prime ministers.
Actually, one expert compares taking up the nation's top job to taking a "cursed cup".
But why does the country keep changing prime ministers? This is partly because of it being a "one-party democracy", says Prof James Brown of Temple University in Japan.
The Liberal Democratic Party's control on the country's politics means the primary rivalry comes from inside the party, rather than 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 might be selected as leader, the moment you're in office, you have many individuals manoeuvring to try to remove you again."
Key Factors Behind Frequent Changes
- One-party dominance restricts outside challenges
- Party infighting drive leadership contests
- The leadership role is frequently called a "cursed position"
- Political stability remains difficult to achieve despite economic strength
