Abe to announce candidacy for LDP leadership race in Aug

Imagine living in a country where one party holds power in perpetuity and competing factions of corrupt old men make backroom deals about which hugely unappealing figure is to hold power. Oh yeah, I don't have to imagine.

デモクラシー

Might as well announce his perpetual priminester ship. No one cares except his mother. The farce that is the LDP will continue unaposed because the population just don't care.

Abe's rictus grin is the face of Japan's looping political paralysis that only the political euthanasia of the LDP can cure. Ganbare, Nihon!

There is no limit for Abe, in terms of cronyism. Brown nose is required for any position.

It's largely due to Chinese expansionism and North Korean Nuclear threat that kept Abe in power.

socrateos, wrong. Neither China nor NK are Abe's master. However, Abe will change his policy toward China in next a few years. He damaged the relationship, he has to fix it himself.

Neither China nor NK are Abe's master.

Of course not. They are merely REASONS why Abe is supported by Japanese people, albeit reluctantly.

socrateosToday 09:34 am JST

It's largely due to Chinese expansionism and North Korean Nuclear threat that kept Abe in power.

It has a lot more to do with a lack of effective challengers in the LDP and a single opposition party that can field enough candidates to have a shot at winning a majority in the next election.

That wheel of corruption and cronyism keeps on turning!!

Japan needs someone like Donald Trump to Make Japan Great Again.

One thought comes always to mind, when I read this type of news;

What is the difference between Japan democracy vs China Communism ?

And what is the difference between China communism vs North Korea directorship?

bullfighterToday 12:17 pm JST

Japan needs someone like Donald Trump to Make Japan Great Again.

Someone like Donald Trump, but not senile, a compulsive liar, habitually bankrupt or in collusion with a hostile power.

PM Abe has the chance to make history, as Japans longest serving ruler. There are no credible challengers, and he continues to crush the tiny opposition parties. PM Abe has the background, the experience, the results, the International leadership (for example the TPP he leads) and the support of the public.

Go PM Abe, you can do it in September!

Corruption, cosying up to dubious hawks, increased moves towards a more militaristic state.

I hope our Japanese brothers and sisters will vote this man and his administration out. For all our sakes.

Toasted heretic, youre dreaming. This is Japan. Abe has the job for as long as he wants it. The LDP has been in power for going on a century now and will remain so.

GanbarreJapan! Not 'can' - he WILL. We can be 100% certain of it.

GanbarreJapan! Not 'can' - he WILL. We can be 100% certain of it.

@ cochise, I agree. I like you optimism! Lets keep fingers crossed, it seems like media push for Koizumi has died out, along with fake Abe Cabinet scandals.

Cronyism, endless scandals and one party monopolies can only maintain their hold for so long. The LDP was only formed in the 50s, so to say it's been in power for a century is disingenous.

As younger, progressive and more outward looking voters get their say we will see real changes in Japanese politics and society as a whole.

This will counter the fraudulent behaviour and jingoism that is the hallmark for the current government.

Let's face it, who else is there.

If the other parties actually had specific policy manifestos they might be a better opposition.

"What is the difference between Japan democracy vs China Communism ?"

In Japan you don't get disappeared or arrested for speaking against the government.

It has a lot more to do with a lack of effective challengers in the LDP and a single opposition party that can field enough candidates to have a shot at winning a majority in the next election.

Yes. Unless someone within the party or another party who can take as strong as or stronger stance against Chinese expansionism and North Korean Nuclear threat appears, Abe will remain in power.

Good luck to Abe - he seems very focused on destroying Japan, bit by bit, and that is something I absolutely support.

RationalReaderToday  05:33 pm JST

Let's face it, who else is there.

In a country with 125 million people there must be someone we've all overlooked.

If the other parties actually had specific policy manifestos they might be a better opposition.

It's not just manifestos. What use is a great manifesto, or even a great leader for that matter, if a party can't put up a candidate in your constituency? No one party in any of the recent elections has been able to match the LDP for numbers of candidates, so even if another party somehow became the largest in the Diet they would still have to form a coalition that would most likely be ineffectual due to in-fighting over policy differences. There needs to be one major opposition force like there was in 2009, and not another pointless liberal-conservative mish-mash.

None of the present leader in JAPAN is capable to offer any formidable challenge to PM Abe .He is sure to win presidentship of LDP for the third time in September.

"Japan needs someone like Donald Trump to Make Japan Great Again."

Irrelevant non sequitur. Gosh, do some people EVER stop thinking about America as a point of comparison for Japan? Apparently not. As for Japanese politics, the cream of the crop has never risen to the top. To be fair, this isn't all that different from other countries. For a democracy, though, it is striking the extent to which elected office in Japan is just accepted by most people as a profession for mediocre hereditary children of privilege. It's doubtful Abe would have done as well in any other line of work--certainly not in the internationally competitive areas of Japan's private sector.

Abe and Trump are two totally different categories.

Good old Japan. Not much different from China after all. No one will oppose him, and he's doing this because he knows he'll win, despite the fact that he has accomplished none of his goals except to line the pockets of the rich a little more, pushing the country closer to war, selling out to the US, and despite all the scandals.

LDP & neocons like Abe will destroy Japan slowly

RationalReader wrote: "What is the difference between Japan democracy vs China Communism ?"

In Japan you don't get disappeared or arrested for speaking against the government.

According to the 180-nation World Press Freedom Index reported that media freedom in Japan has been declining ever since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s second administration took office in 2012.

Reporters Without Borders downgraded Japan to 72nd on the list, from 61st the previous year. In the ranking, the top four positions were occupied by Nordic countries. The last ranking, 180th, was given to North Korea.

The group also criticized the government’s refusal to have any debate about the divisive law protecting state secrets specially designated by the government itself, despite U.N. protests. Under the law, whistleblowers, journalists and bloggers face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of publishing information obtained “illegally.”

All of this is from https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/04/27/national/japan-stays-72nd-world-press-freedom-list-last-g-7/#.W0xu6NIzaHs

MASSWIPEToday 12:05 am JST

For a democracy, though, it is striking the extent to which elected office in Japan is just accepted by most people as a profession for mediocre hereditary children of privilege.

I think these third or fourth generation politicians also benefit from political funds laws that basically allow them to run election campaigns with huge financial advantages.

It's doubtful Abe would have done as well in any other line of work--certainly not in the internationally competitive areas of Japan's private sector.

He's not actually done well. The circumstances were just right for a person like him to land the top job.