Abe: Nationalist blueblood at home, shrewd diplomat abroad

Seriously AFP? Talk about ass kissing, how about reporting on the arrow failures? The economy "recovery" only helping big business? Labor shortages?

is seen as a pragmatic and canny diplomat

By whom???

with the U.S. president praising Abe's "strong hands" and a "very, very good chemistry."

What is Trump's obsession with hands?

His reputation for arrogance was not helped when he shouted down hecklers at a rally, and voters turned in droves to support charismatic Tokyo Gov Yuriko Koike.

Apparently not. He won.

But he swiftly reshuffled his cabinet and polls showed voters approved of his hawkish reaction to North Korean missiles, giving him a bump in the ratings and apparently tempting him into the gamble of a snap election.

Just shows how the public here can be lead around by rings on their noses like a herd of cows.

What is this? More propaganda propping up Abe?

> On the economic front, he pioneered a multi-pronged policy dubbed "Abenomics", a combination of generous government spending and central bank monetary easing.

No, this is blatantly FALSE, Abe never pioneered this policy, he just stuck his name to an old policy that has shoved the country deeper into debt!

Twisted fear mongering won. Kim Jong Un is Abe best friend.

In other words a politician with absolutely nothing in common with the majority of people in Japan......

Happy with the result. Japan has the right to formulate its own constitution and they have the right to field a proper military. WW2 ended 72 years ago, there is an awful lot of water under the bridge. Ultimately the people will decide in a referendum anyway. Its now 2017 and Japan is taking its rightful place as a strong partner in the democratic family of nation states backed up by a strong military that can make a contribution to the security of democracies in Asia and the Indo-Pacific more broadly.

Firstly Everyone has Blue blood until exposed to oxygen whereby it turns red. Second, I do not think he has done so great a job as to be re-elected as PM of Japan. Fukushima Daiichi is still a problem. Child abuse hunger is still a problem with little address. His lineage has not done much good for the People of Japan

He needs to 1 move out of mums house 2 then get a proper job, but as its been 60 odd years doubt that will happen. I know Japan has a aging population but to move forward you actually do need young people with new ideas to do that, retirement of the fossilised politicians is necessary and I'm speaking as a 50yo totally aware I'm in no position to make decisions that benifits the youth. Retirement although not a Japanese trait is needed.

Everyone has blue blood until exposed to oxygen....

No.

Oxygen- rich blood may be brighter, but blood is very definitely red.

Assuming you’re talking about humans....

Abe seemed born to lead Japan, the latest in three generations of powerful politicians.

The Americans needn't have bothered replacing the House of Peers in 1947.

To his party's benefit, Abe studied the playbook of the Bush ("W") administration carefully during his time in the doghouse (2009-2012).

The propaganda machine is already in full gear.

All hail King Abe.

Well often I'm asked what makes a party rock in Japan, now I know lots of self entitled old men. And there are Suprisingly a lot.

How far the termites have spread, and how long and well they've dined in the media. To call Abe "a shrewd diplomat" is like calling Kim Jun Un a shrewd benevolent dictator. Abe has completely destroyed the moves made by Hatoyama, Kan, and Noda to repair the damage Abe, Fukuda, and Aso made during their reign of terror from 2006 to 2009. He has alienated Japan in Asia, even with the nations he could have formed an alliance with that also have Chinese aggression toward their borders.

Abe is a failure and the only thing that props him up is a weak and ineffective opposition (which really isn't opposition as they also are right of center and basically agree with the LDP). Without that Abe and his LDP Zombies would have been smeared 12 ways to Sunday in the election. Koike absolutely offered nothing different from her Nippon Kaigi chums in the LDP.

The only thing correct in this headline is that Abe is a nationalist. Give Abe an enema and he'd fit in a thimble.

"Abenomics", a combination of generous government spending and central bank monetary easing.

Yeah, such "generous" spending, which indebts future taxpayers. But this wasn't a new trick by Abe, just standard LDP playbook. 

The monetary easing madness was new in terms of scale, but not so much in concept.

And curiously, these days the enigma of "third arrow" structural reforms don't even get a mention anymore.

inflation is stubbornly low as consumer spending remains underwhelming.

The cost of living being so stubbornly stable is welcomed by all consumers. 

And younger generations mightn't be so tight with their purse strings were it not for the massive inter-generational inequality being perpetrated by the afore-mentioned "generous" government spending. But how can Abe and co. get re-elected without kissing up to elderly voters?

But he left office abruptly 12 months later, citing debilitating bowel problems

now he is giving us these problems..

Seriously, praised for his response to NK? He did nothing but be protected by the US

He gets credit for things he did not do. Interesting fact, more cabinet members have committed suicide in Abe's cabinets than any other. Great stuff!

Blueblood atbhome without a doubt. “Shrewd politician abroad” in what way? He is a complete failure in diplomacy.

Guess the japanese people (and not just the 56% ) earned them some more Abe time, more brainwashing, more propaganda, friends of the LDP can be happy too - cronyism can go back to normal (ab)normal levels. Enjoy it people, or change over to the shoganai- 金魚 (Goldfish) group.

Man this blurb was a painful read!! Can we lay the propaganda on any thicker!!

abe has been a abject failure in everything he has done 2nd time round, while there is next to no viable alternative it is distressing to see the people vote like this.

I cant see it ending well

Can somebody give me a name who is better than Abe in Japan .

Can somebody give me a name who is better than Abe in Japan 

Natsuo Yamaguchi

If you didn't know, he is the head of the Komeito. By themselves the komeito would have nothing, but aligning themselves with the LDP they have an unusual amount of power based upon that relationship. Their votes mean a hell of a lot when it comes to controversial legislation and Abe needs their votes to carry any constitutional changes he wants to make.

This is comes across as honest, fair, and believable too. He and the komeito are stalwarts for social issues, they even have tried advancing, giving the vote to foreigners who have foreign residency. They also are aligned with working families and many issues that get raised in those fields come from the komeito.

I would vote for him for PM if there were a direct election, but sadly there never will be one!