Abe points to 2008 crisis as G-7 leaders debate global risk

Group of Seven leaders voiced concern about emerging economies on Thursday as their host, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, made a pointed comparison to the global financial crisis eight years ago.......Fact is that none of them in the room control anything that has to do with world economy, world finance or whatever you want to call it......G7, G8 or G10 whatever...just another outing where an enormous amount of (tax payer's) money is wasted....people running around doing absolutely nothing and talks being held about...you guessed it absolutely nothing.........

GWMAY. 27, 2016 - 12:03AM JST

Obama, DO NOT take abe with you to Hiroshima! Leave him off to the side somewhere...

I suggest the comic books section of a convenience store. Although some of the stuff there could be too intellectual for him.

. Abe is embarrassing himself and wasting world leaders' time with this malarkey.

FYI, his comments and reasoning for bringing it up are not for the world to hear but meant for Japanese ears. He is playing up his own imagined importance and as the host of this summit needs to come across to the Japanese population as being a leader and equal to his counter-parts that are attending.

It isn't just this, but the press conference with Obama, and other news coming out as well, that makes Abe look like he is taking a tough stance and protecting Japanese interests to the world.

Watch Abe get a rather large jump in his approval ratings after the summit.

2008 was a financial crisis, caused by America's financial and real-estate sectors. It had nothing to with the global real economy. Abe is embarrassing himself and wasting world leaders' time with this malarkey.

The G-7 groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.

And why is it that the EU had two seats at the summit table?

Obama didn't look too enthused when he first greeted Abe at Ise Shrine; plus he was late. After hearing about "apologizing to the bombing victims, and now Onaga of Okinawa requesting an audience," don't blame the President for the dour look. Yes, please keep overbearing Abesan away from you when you visit Hiroshima. Typical Japanese to display so much pomp, especially on the gourmet food in Mie. Let's get on with the meetings, and be productive.

If he had his way, governments like his would issue as much debt as they liked and then, after rampant inflation, pay it off with worthless debased money. And he would expect the people to stand up and cheer for this, because he's got them feeling prideful about their nation again. Sneaky, isn't he? And arrogant and entitled beyond belief.

Wow. Sounds JUST LIKE what's been happening in the US under the current regime. And could probably be equally said about all our "benevolent overlords" enjoying lovely meals and photo-ops at the G-7 this week.

Obama, DO NOT take abe with you to Hiroshima!

Leave him off to the side somewhere & if you speak wrt to Japan & WWII keep it REAL, Japanese NEED to hear it!

But the G-7 have snubbed Abe's thrust to devalue the yen and opposed the 10% tax rate. America especially have embarrassed Abe right in his own back yard and it shows in the frosty response Abe and Obama are giving to each other at present.....

Abe presented data showing global commodities prices fell 55% from June 2014 to January 2016, the same margin as from July 2008 to February 2009, after the Lehman collapse.

Unreal. Commodity prices falling by 55% on two separate occasions indicates that before the drop there was a bubble that was strangling ordinary households (remember $147/barrel oil in 2008?) with prices so high that they had that much room to fall.

Abe has made it clear that he wants ordinary consumers to pay more and more for everything they buy, so of course he views such price drops, which are a godsend to people who needed to heat their homes and drive their cars, as a bad thing. If he had his way, governments like his would issue as much debt as they liked and then, after rampant inflation, pay it off with worthless debased money. And he would expect the people to stand up and cheer for this, because he's got them feeling prideful about their nation again. Sneaky, isn't he? And arrogant and entitled beyond belief.

The partners of the leading politicians (sorry only 1 husband ) are also around and touring. No news?

There is no crisis, no downturn and no recession. Abe cannot use the fact that growth in China has slowed to 6% per year as a reason to postpone the consumption tax rise.

Master stroke Abe Shinzo!Yes,you are right"you hope the Shrine visit will provide an insight to Japan culture"You always proves to be smart and exceptional.All the best Abe Shinzo.

Iamme: "Sometimes I feel like China thinks it is looking out a window at everyone else when they are actually looking at a mirror."

Applies to Japan even more, but agreed.

If economics are not so good to look at, divert and plant a tree.

Crazy Joe: read about the historical significance of this shrine and then think again about the symbolism of the location. Not calling it Shintoism doesn't change the underlying philosophy that Abe and his ilk have. Traditional beliefs and culture lead the country into war as recently as 70 years ago all the while no one called themselves a Shintoist, being a Japanese it was implicit!

“The G-7, in order not to become obsolete and even negatively affect global peace and stability, should mind its own business rather than pointing fingers at others and fuelling conflicts,” it said.

Sometimes I feel like China thinks it is looking out a window at everyone else when they are actually looking at a mirror.

"The attack has marred Obama’s hopes of keeping his Japan trip strictly focused on his visit on Friday to Hiroshima.."

Abe has already embarrassed the nation in putting the scoring of political points hard of the stated ambitions of the meetings, and looks pretty intent On doing so again with his stimulus package and tax raise plan. I wonderful how many more times hell do it before they're finished.

It is very common in Japan to respect Shinto traditions while not claiming to be Shinto. It is very common in Japan to follow all or parts of two religions. In fact, religious affiliation has a different meaning in Japan, more about belonging to an organization than an expression of private beliefs, much less exclusive beliefs. It is a different culture. They're different.

I don´t see a problem with the shrine visit. It is not like they prayed to Amaterasu or anything like that. Japan is protecting its own culture, something that these postmodernist, globalist boneh.. err political leaders in Europe might want to try too.

Meanwhile, this is rich:

"A flow of migrants from Syria and elsewhere to Europe has confronted the continent with its biggest refugee crisis "

Since when is a mass invasion of aggressive young men a "refugee crises"? Genuine refugees to not behave like this.

separation between religion and state? Abe is very good at manipulating the constitution.

China’s state-run Xinhua news agency told the G-7 to keep out of its affairs.

exactly since they will have to attend G20 more powerful and more meaningful summit in China after few months.

Abe has said he hopes the shrine visit will provide an insight to the heart of Japanese culture. Critics say he’s catering to a >>conservative base that wants to put religion back in politics and revive traditional values

Indeed, this will certainly not escape to the world leaders that religion in Japan is lurking to make a come back under Abe's regime, this is a pretty unusual way to organize a summit.

China’s state-run Xinhua news agency told the G-7 to keep out of its affairs.

For today at least the world should just tune this out as BGM.

Abe should tread warily. His ego is bigger than reality.