Takashi Oka, a long time observer of Japan's political circumstances will discuss the basic contradictions that undergird Koizumi. Or consider whether he has what it takes to carry through the reforms he pledges. While Koizumi is Prime Minister and supported by the LDP, his reform positions are sharply at odds with what most of the candidates running on the LDP ticket want. They want him to smile, stay superficial and help lead a win in the upcoming Upper House elections -- but want him to stay away from detail and policy specifics. Koizumi, on the other hand, takes occasional jabs at his own party such as a recent statement that if the LDP opposes his reforms he will destroy the LDP. Oka believes that the general consensus is that Koizumi and the LDP-led coalition will get through the House of Councillors election, perhaps even win a more than comfortable majority, but that as soon as he starts working on next year's budget, the LDP machine will be out in force and the LDP's old-style political bosses, now lurking in the background, will be thwarting him at every step.