Back when it was still in the opposition camp, the Democratic Party of Japan used to criticize the then ruling Liberal Democratic Party for its frequent shuffling of prime ministers, without an election.
Then came Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's sudden resignation announcement after only being in office some eight months since his party won last summer's general election in a historic landslide, sending the LDP packing. No general election will precede the choice of his successor as well.