politics

Ex-PM Abe wants attempts to alter status quo in Asia quashed

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Ahh......is Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe politically shuffling the deck for a full return to front line J politics?

Not the first time.

At 67 in in global leadership stakes Abe is a teenager

6 ( +12 / -6 )

Ahh..... another cosplay moment!

11 ( +22 / -11 )

Unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or economic coercion pose a serious threat in Asia, too,"

Regarding economic coercion, Japan, Inc. has long put Japan in a bind by allowing the big power companies to maintain the status quo, and by not developing alternatives to burning huge amounts of fossil fuels, and by relying on nukes. Japan has relied on the US, Russia, and Middle East regimes too long, and has allowed the country to be coerced by them. Also Japan's major corporations chose to partner with China for manufacturing, that looks like another own goal to me.

But as long as the aging, old guard stay in charge of government and business, I doubt things will change.

-3 ( +10 / -13 )

Hold on a minute. Didn't he want to alter the status quo by changing the constitution to allow JSDF to fight overseas. Gone from leading a country to making cameo appearances dressed up and reading boring scripted speeches in far away places. Surely he must thinking about retiring.

4 ( +16 / -12 )

geronimo2006Today  05:47 pm JST

Hold on a minute. Didn't he want to alter the status quo by changing the constitution to allow JSDF to fight overseas.

No that doesn't change the status quo. Abe wanted to remove the 2nd paragraph of Artricle 9 so that the existence of the JSDF will be recognized. Abe stated that he did not want to touch the 1st paragraph which restrains Japan from starting any wars.

Compare that to what China is doing.

5 ( +15 / -10 )

Ex-PM Abe wants attempts to alter status quo in Asia quashed

Let's keep the status quo!

Should be the epitaph for Abe.

Though unfortunately I think he will continue to pop up.

Look East" policy aimed at emulating Japan's work ethic,

Like if Malaysians suddenly wanted to become salarymen.

It was not about emulating an ethic in the lame Kyodo speak, it was about implementing neo liberal pro corporate policies.

1 ( +10 / -9 )

I suggest Abe san is bored, twigging his fingers, yearning for the time he was a global player.

12 ( +14 / -2 )

In his speech, Abe commemorated the 40th anniversary of Malaysia adopting the "Look East" policy aimed at emulating Japan's work ethic...

Good grief, do NOT emulate Japan's work ethic. All that will lead to is overstressed, overworked employees who are scant inches away from jumping off the nearest high-rise; a toxic environment that breeds no productivity, creativity or progress whatsoever; and projects that'll buried under mountains of paperwork delaying any progress by 10 years. You want to emulate a work ethic? Look to Scandinavia.

6 ( +16 / -10 )

Abe san wants back in, the hope that J electorate have short memories

9 ( +12 / -3 )

Wasn't he the one who just the other day said Japan should host US nukes? I guess he has a different understanding of what status quo means.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe urged

pass

-1 ( +8 / -9 )

Now that he is no longer a PM, he can say anything he wants.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Abe Shinzō is Japan’s longest continuously serving Prime Minister, Abe I suggest can't let that go.

Abe san didn't achieve this by accident.

I believe Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is venerable.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

What does Abe know about work?

1 ( +10 / -9 )

Abe. He should gracefully retire and enter a hermitage.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

So what is this clothing/costume?

2 ( +5 / -3 )

I burst out laughing at that photo. Haven't had such a good laugh since Botchan rolled down the bunker as Trump walked away.

He's got another thing coming if he thinks Malaysia will be looking up to Japan and Botchan. He has nothing to offer.

-6 ( +7 / -13 )

I see as soon as the questions and news about all the scandals he was implicated in disappear so does the tummy trouble. Amazing Abe. Glad to see he is looking so well and rested and travelling the world at this governments expense. Well played Abe-san.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

itsonly:

yearning for the time he was a global player.

He was NEVER a global player. He was there to parrot whatever USA said.

0 ( +12 / -12 )

He is making another run. Him and trump miss their old jobs! You fail you lose Shinzo.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

I want lavish payments for speeches by mediocre ex-heads of states quashed. Any payments should automatically be directed to worthy charities in the countries where the speeches take place.

Looking for a definition of "waste of time and space"? Look no further.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

Pukey2, Ok I respect that opinion.

Lets take a deep breath.

In the world of J faction politics, past masters, and there is no former Prime Minster that can match Abe san longevity, or ability to dodge the political bullet.

Abe, almost six sense, knew how to work global events to his favor.

An example, Abe faux friendship with Donald Trump, Akie Abe could barely remain in the same room as the former US President.

Abe san is testing the ground. The world is at a crossroads event in Ukraine.

Abe san, cannot resist the temptation to politically tap dance media attention.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, is well, a tad mediocre. neither this or that. No quite sure what his policy agenda actually stand for.

A sort of follow my US leader and hope for the best.

Abe is taping his feet sensing political blood.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

@itsonlyrocknroll

*Pukey2, Ok I respect that opinion.*

And then you make out that it's completely wrong (which it's not... it's spot on.)

You talk about Abe's (relative) longevity. What does that actually mean? I'll tell you. It means he was less incompetent than other Japanese leaders. That's not saying much. And we're talking about what, 8-9 years? Berlusconi was PM of Italy (a country with an equally dismal political culture) for the same amount of time, and was similarly corrupt and laughable.

It sounds like you must have an Abe poster on your wall (imagining him to some kind of "master strategist", as you do). "Faux friendship" with Trump? Trump has very few real friends, because he's a sociopath, but I think those two came as close to friendship as could possibly be achieved, with their shared love of golf, disdain for the concept of gender equality, and so on.

"Abe, almost six sense, knew how to work global events to his favor."

Please, if you love fantasy that much, just rent the Lord of the Rings trilogy, or some Disney garbage, and absorb yourself with that.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

I respect your opinion too Blackstar that does not imply I agree with it.

I think, may I suggest you have wandered wrongly to a conclusion of your own making.

Abe from 2012 to 2020 is the longest-serving prime minister in Japanese history.

Do you accept that fact?

in J factional politics Abe was and still is a "master strategist".

Look, firstly you have to understand factions within the J political arena, Wikipedia gives a first step level insight into the facet I contend is unique to how a J leader is chosen.

Factions in the Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factions_in_the_Liberal_DemocraticParty(Japan)

Have a peruse and we could debate how I came to my conclusion.

In the mean time, I can admire my Abe poster collection, what they represent is another matter.

I believe, Abe san on many occasions, dodged a number of inquiries into his failures in office, because he was able to call on his faction in government to bail him out.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

The Japanese really need to understand that the reason they became wealthy post WW2 was through trade with the west, particularly the US. cheap Japanese products flooded the west. There’s nothing particularly special about the Japanese or their business culture or general culture. I’d say that about South Korea also.

-11 ( +1 / -12 )

PLEASE read history.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

ableko45

You are correct. Japan had an easy ride to the top with all of Europe and the rest of Asia destroyed. They faced no competition aside from the US, who had much higher wages than Japan. During the pre-digital era, lower labor costs was a huge advantage to an economy.

There is nothing magical or special about what Japan did. You can see today with Japan’s economy failing that when the rest of the world got back on their feet, Japan is now having trouble competing. Unfortunately, most right wing Japanese nationalists think they’re superior to everyone else.

the Japanese economy will struggle even more in the coming decades as technology platforms that the Japanese lead in are being phased out and are replaced by platforms the west lead. The automobile sector will be the next collapse in the Japanese economy.

-7 ( +4 / -11 )

Abe is now irrelevant.

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

Alan HarrisonToday  03:53 am JST

Abe is now irrelevant.

We would wish to think so but I fear these periodical reports on Japanese main stream media are there for a very precise reason. Abe-san will be back or most certainly will make a play to come back. The only thing that will stop him is if the LDP lose their majority and are dethroned.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Why is this clown speaking on foreign policy? If he wants to get back on the international stage send him to Putin as a special envoy. According to Japanese press, he's met with Putin 27 times, surely he's on a first name basis as he has bragged about his first name basis with Donald.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

RecklessMar. 12  07:38 pm JST

Looking good Mr. Abe! 

Eww. I wish I could unsee that comment.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

@ Tara

Try reading western and Chinese and Korean history about Japan.

It's completely different story.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

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