Not only is the industry a prime candidate for customer-help lines, but the Ministry of Health and Welfare is currently reviewing which drugs can be sold over the counter.

ECONOMIST: Japan��s bell curve

Oskar Lafontaine, the man he beat to become his party's candidate for the chancellorship, remains powerful as party chairman, and also has an option on the finance ministry.

ECONOMIST: Germany��s economic conjurors

He recently told the press that Sakakibara Eisuke, former vice minister for international affairs at Japan's Ministry of Finance, would make a "splendid" candidate.

CNN: Fund of New Ideas