The deadlock born of a divided parliament has led to deep doubts about the 71-year-old premier’s leadership but has done nothing to boost support for the main opposition Democratic Party.

“Fukuda is sort of like any old guy. He doesn’t have his own opinions. He’s like a salaryman,” said Tatsuo Saito, 52, a furniture maker from northern Japan who was in Tokyo on business.

“But an opposition-led government would be the same. Nothing would change ... I have no expectations of politicians.”

Fukuda’s sagging support rates — just below 25 percent in a TV survey released this week — have sparked speculation that his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) might try to replace him ahead of a general election that could come this year.

But some voters said there was little hope for improvement even if a new leader took the helm or an election was held. “Politicians are all like salaried workers,” said 32-year-old software programmer Kenji Moriya.

“We need a genius, but there aren’t any among politicians,” he said. “If there were an election, I think voters would just be disgusted.”

No election for the powerful lower house need be held until September 2009, but the Democrats have made no secret of their desire for an early poll.

The political gridlock has already left the Bank of Japan in the hands of an acting governor, and is now threatening to block tax measures, including a controversial gasoline tax, needed to fund national and local budgets for the fiscal year from April 1.

The ruling bloc has a huge majority in parliament’s lower house, but the Democrats and smaller opposition parties control the upper chamber and can delay laws and veto appointments.

The Democrats want to abolish Japan’s “provisional” gasoline tax, introduced three decades ago and seen by critics as a symbol of the LDP’s practice of wasteful spending on vested interests.

They also want to free up other road-related revenues for general spending — a stance promoted by reformist former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi during his 2001-2006 term.

Talks between the two sides failed on Tuesday to make progress, meaning the gasoline tariff and other measures such as an exemption to a 20 percent withholding tax in Japan’s offshore market, could well expire come Monday.

The LDP and its junior partner on Wednesday again urged the opposition to come to the table, Kyodo news agency reported, but reaching an agreement looked tough.

The main opposition Democratic Party has dismissed a ruling-bloc proposal that calls for enactment of the tax bills by March 31 and consideration of key points later as no compromise at all.

Mainstream Japanese media on Wednesday again pointed the finger of blame at both the ruling and opposition camps.

“To avoid confusion in people’s livelihoods is the minimum responsibility of political parties and politicians,” the Nikkei business daily said in an editorial.

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