politics

As party vote inches closer, Abe seeks to turn page on scandal

24 Comments
By Linda Sieg

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Turn the page! and a huge stack of dirty money falls into his lap...again. Though no fault of his or his wife's or his Finance minister at all. They are above such things as law.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

PM Abe’s enemies in media did not succeed. So-called “scandal” has died out in public eyes, no-one found guilty.

PM Abe still has much to do to finish his reforms and hold many Summits to cement legacy. He will stay the course. Anyway, Shinjirō Koizumi Still needs 2 more years experience before he takes over as PM.

-18 ( +1 / -19 )

A country gets the politicians it deserves.

The Japanese are so against change that they would rather stick with these crooked,self-entitled old doggies than look to the future with someone young and fresh.

This scandal has proven that Japan's 'elite' are above the law.

Someone on here yesterday remarked that Japan is doomed with leaders like Japan's I can not disagree.

13 ( +14 / -1 )

As Abe is the one who selected Aso for Vice PM and to head the finance ministry, HE bears the overall responsibility for the problems.

It's that simple!

9 ( +10 / -1 )

It's up to the LDP, not the public," said Tomowaki Iwai, a political science professor at Nihon University. "If his ratings fell to 20 percent or lower, then there could be moves but for now, his support inside the LDP is high."

But but democracy...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!

6 ( +6 / -0 )

You are guilty! Wake up Japan, vote this bozo out!

7 ( +7 / -0 )

...business leaders like his "Abenomics" policies...

Of course they do. He lets them hoard profits and pile on excessive overtime.

"The view that Abe and his wife have lied has spread quite a bit," said one governing coalition source, speaking on condition of anonymity. "But if one thinks about replacing Abe, there is the question, who else could run a stable government?"

Stable, that is ti say, corrupt, ineffectual and incompetent, but successful at keeping the old boys network of LDP grandees, venal bureaucrats and corporate donors in place.

Ganbare Japan!Today  07:06 am JST

PM Abe still has much to do to finish his reforms ...

He hasn't started them yet so how can he finish them?

...and hold many Summits to cement legacy.

Everyone else is holding summits. Abe's legacy will be getting marginalised and making himself look like an obsequious lackey to a US President who will give him nothing in return for all his grovelling.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

The US State Department under Hillary Clinton effected regime change in Japan in 2010, removing then-PM Hatoyama because he and his reformist government wanted better relations with China.

http://www.karelvanwolferen.com/46-havoc-fantasy-full-spectrum-dominance-26-sept-2014/

Clearly Abe has a free pass from the US State Department to do whatever he wants in Japan, no matter how egregious, provided he and his LDP cronies follow the US line in foreign policy.

The losers are the ordinary people of Japan. The country is becoming more like the Phillippines under Ferdinand Marcos every day, with Akie as Imelda.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

... that has clouded Abe's chances for re-election...

As if there is any doubt that the Japanese aged public will not vote this disgraceful party out. Too much damage will be done by the time they want the LDP out. TIJ!

GHQ should have done more to ensure Japan would not end up the snake would not rear its head ugly again before they left. Now we are starting to pay for those mistakes.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Turn the page? Sweep it under the carpet is more like it. Japanese people have such short memories!

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Time over coming soon Mr. Super Mario, as long as you play that video game of public liar. Aso, Akie, Sagawa characters made bad stages to display (~v~⤵fall down the points to abyss, or-- he will stay there because of this game is still on sale to some public gamers, the supporters.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The only other two people likely to take over Abe should he fall also disgust me because of the very same problems like nepotism, a sense of entitlement, xenophobia and out-right creepiness, amongst many other things wrong with Japanese politics.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

You don't often get a front row seat to the corruption of a country, but man, this hasn't been stellar for Japan. I really wish this could stop

3 ( +3 / -0 )

"This has confirmed that Prime Minister Abe bears grave responsibility," Democratic Party for the People leader Yuichiro Tamaki was quoted by Kyodo news agency as telling a news conference.

Exactly

"Almost all the stakeholders in the Abe administration want him to stay.

So what?

It's up to the LDP, not the public,"

WOW! There you have it folks. From a Japanese Uni Professor. Just admitted what we've been saying all along. This country is NOT a democracy. Just came out and admitted it. There you go.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

A snowball has a better chance in hell than the chance of getting rid of these brazen crooks and charlatans.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The harder Abe intonates the adverb "shikkari-to", the more insincere you know he's being.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Aly RustomToday  12:05 pm JST

It's up to the LDP, not the public,"

WOW! There you have it folks. From a Japanese Uni Professor. Just admitted what we've been saying all along.

It's not that shocking a statement really. In any country like Japan or the UK the public don't get a say in who the party leaders are until it's time for a general election, and even then most voters only get to choose them indirectly. However, as the article points out, a dangerously low public support rate, e.g. less than 20%, may prompt an LDP coup or an early resignation. It's happened before.

This country is NOT a democracy. Just came out and admitted it. There you go.

It's a democracy in the sense that a majority of elected representatives in the national legislature is needed for laws to be made, changed or repealed. How those representatives are elected is NOT democratic, however.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Simon Foston

Fair enough. Everthing you said is spot on. But I guess the one thing that I would add is that here the politicians are handed down their positions like a family business. That coupled with the flawed election process (which does also exist in the UK) makes it even worse.

But I agree with you 100%

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Aly RustomToday  03:36 pm JST

Simon Foston

Fair enough. Everthing you said is spot on. But I guess the one thing that I would add is that here the politicians are handed down their positions like a family business.

That is indeed true and it was never something I was aware of going on in the UK. I think a lot of it comes down to the election laws allowing politicians to be heads of local party organisations that can hoard cash, support and influence which can then be inherited by their offspring. As the likes of Shinzo Abe and Taro Aso are beneficiaries of these arrangements I do not think they will be done away with any time soon, especially as the average LDP supporter seems quite amenable to them. Which is maybe more of a damning indictment of the supporters than the politicians.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I do not think they will be done away with any time soon, especially as the average LDP supporter seems quite amenable to them. Which is maybe more of a damning indictment of the supporters than the politicians.

I agree

1 ( +1 / -0 )

If you believe me. Here is good article about Japan:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2018/06/04/japan-is-the-greatest-economic-success-story-never-told/?utm_term=.99fc976

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

econstatsJune 5  08:42 pm JST

If you believe me. Here is good article about Japan:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2018/06/04/japan-is-the-greatest-economic-success-story-never-told/?utm_term=.99fc976

Yes, we all know that corporate profits have been soaring. However the article also points out that wage rises have been minimal. So the virtuous cycle of rising wages, increased domestic spending and higher profits has totally failed to get started. Even after five years of Abe promising it.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

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