Wako (AP): The Liberal Democratic Party's victory in Japan's parliamentary election on Sunday virtually ensures that Shinzo Abe, who resigned as Prime Minister for health reasons in 2007 after just a year in office, will get a second chance to try to lead Japan out of its economic slump. In Abe's political resurrection, the Japanese are confiding their hopes for a national comeback, backing Liberal Democrat pledges to restore the good times of the 1980s and 90s, before the financial bubble went bust and economy slid into a 20-year funk. Abe epitomizes the LDP brand of conservatism and nationalism that kept the party in power for most of the post-World War II era, until it was ousted by the Democratic Party of Japan in 2009. Despite his tough talk, it is unclear just how determined or able he will be to pursue his nationalist convictions, which could further worsen already testy relations with China, hurting automakers and other industries with huge investments in the fast-growing Chinese market. "We are not sure what Abe will turn out to be like," said Yoichi Funabashi, former editor-in-chief of the Asahi newspaper. "Once he gets into office, he will likely retreat a bit." Under Abe, Liberal Democrats claim to have been reborn, though their platform differs little from strategies of the past, calling for a restoration of Japan's economic strength through public works spending, greater emphasis on patriotism and love of country, and a more nationalist foreign policy. Image Link Flickr, Source: The Hans India::
Friday, 28 December 2012
Shinzo Abe next Japanese PM
Wako (AP): The Liberal Democratic Party's victory in Japan's parliamentary election on Sunday virtually ensures that Shinzo Abe, who resigned as Prime Minister for health reasons in 2007 after just a year in office, will get a second chance to try to lead Japan out of its economic slump. In Abe's political resurrection, the Japanese are confiding their hopes for a national comeback, backing Liberal Democrat pledges to restore the good times of the 1980s and 90s, before the financial bubble went bust and economy slid into a 20-year funk. Abe epitomizes the LDP brand of conservatism and nationalism that kept the party in power for most of the post-World War II era, until it was ousted by the Democratic Party of Japan in 2009. Despite his tough talk, it is unclear just how determined or able he will be to pursue his nationalist convictions, which could further worsen already testy relations with China, hurting automakers and other industries with huge investments in the fast-growing Chinese market. "We are not sure what Abe will turn out to be like," said Yoichi Funabashi, former editor-in-chief of the Asahi newspaper. "Once he gets into office, he will likely retreat a bit." Under Abe, Liberal Democrats claim to have been reborn, though their platform differs little from strategies of the past, calling for a restoration of Japan's economic strength through public works spending, greater emphasis on patriotism and love of country, and a more nationalist foreign policy. Image Link Flickr, Source: The Hans India::