“EVEN MONKEYS FALL FROM TREES,” says an old Japanese proverb. Opponents of Junichiro Koizumi, Japan’s intrepid prime minister, have been predicting his fall for some time now. Known for his high-stakes gambles–on, among other things, deploying troops to Iraq and revamping the Japanese postal service–Koizumi’s been fairly lucky since taking office in April 2001. His critics have long reckoned that eventually his luck would run out. But, alas, the monkey always seems to find a new branch to grab hold of and steady his balance.

Koizumi fashions himself a “Lionheart,” and after his smashing triumph in lower-house polls earlier this month, that appellation seems fitting. How dramatic was the premier’s victory? “His magic was so successful that it’s a little scary,” Tokyo investment banker Hiroaki Toya told the BBC.