Published: Monday 26 January 2009 10:40 UTCLast updated: Monday 26 January 2009 12:56 UTC
Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso has suffered a stinging defeat in a regional election. An opposition candidate was elected governor in the northern prefecture of Yamagata. For years, Yamagata was a stronghold of the prime minister's conservative LDP party.
Recent opinion polls suggest only 20 percent of the electorate still supports Mr Aso. There is widespread criticism of the prime minister's economic policies, and there are rumours that his party may replace him soon.
Reportedly, there is a growing chance that the LDP, which has been in power for all but 10 months since 1955, may not return to government after the parliamentary elections scheduled to be held later this year.
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