THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, left, and Azuma Koshiishi, the DPJ secretary-general, attend a Nov. 16 meeting of DPJ lawmakers. (Shingo Kuzutani)
LDP head Shinzo Abe, second from right in back row, and other LDP lawmakers applaud the Lower House dissolution on Nov. 16. (Toshiyuki Hayashi)
In just over three years, the fortunes of Japan's two main political parties have been reversed.