Shizuka Kamei, one of the leading LDP anti-privatization rebels, sounds as if he is growing worried about keeping his Lower House seat in Sunday’s election. The Financial Times reports:

Shizuka Kamei, one of the top Liberal Democratic party rebels who helped to organise the defeat of bills to privatise Japan Post, described Junichiro Koizumi, prime minister, yesterday as “a fascist, a tyrant and a despot”.

Let’s see…after Mr. Koizumi’s privatization bills failed in the Upper House, he dissolved the Lower House and called for an election as a referendum on his policies, pledging to step down if defeated.

Doesn’t sound like any fascists, tyrants, or despots I know about.