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Abe's controversial state funeral may backfire on Kishida

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Problem is ...there is no decent strong opposition

28 ( +35 / -7 )

They made a mess of Tokyo yesterday.

15 ( +24 / -9 )

The same time as vast sums are being spent on speech making and carrying ashes around Tokyo, there are vast areas of Japan experiencing flooding and damage.

The lack of spending on essential services along with other spending deficits eg education clearly show that the cliques in Tokyo are fooling the Japanese public!

18 ( +29 / -11 )

Today I put my hands together in gassho type prayer for Japan’s greatest PM. The one who made Japan Great Again.

-47 ( +6 / -53 )

@dan is exactly right. Until the 'opposition' can find ANYBODY with some charisma as a leader, stick together for more than a year, come up with a sensible name, and policies that will make people sit up and listen AND target voters int he 30-50 range who just don't bother then the LDP will continue to have carte blanche for years. Not much use in a bunch of foreigners continually complaining when we have zero influence - and in most cases who haven't been here long enough to understand post WW2 politics. The couple of times the LDP have lost power have ended in humiliation - I don't even think the parties exist anymore in name.

Love him or hate him, will take someone like Tony Blair to literally create a new party out of something that people are vaguely familiar with take it from there.

11 ( +16 / -5 )

Articles like this, and more importantly in the main stream Japanese media, are laying the groundwork for the final nails to be driven into the coffin of Kishida's time as Prime Minister here.

Holding Abe's funeral, even though the majority of the public was against it, will more than likely put Kishida out to pasture as well.

Folks should get their ear-plugs ready for another "snap" election! Time for another era of revolving door PM's!

12 ( +22 / -10 )

However this moment will pass despite any perception of opposition and anger. Japan has no appetite or ambition for change in its political system.

0 ( +8 / -8 )

all that yen spent on the funeral could've gone to better causes, in my opinion. They should've let private entities, especially the unification church pay for the funeral instead.

13 ( +17 / -4 )

May backfire? MAY?

I'm going to politely disagree with Dan and the Resident and say that while I agree with their diagnosis of the opposition, I’d be willing to take another crack at them.

The LDP has again become utterly corrupt and completely bereft of ideas just as at the end of the first Abe administration.

Let them go camping in the political wilderness for a while again until they put Aso, Moto, Suga and their ilk on the proverbial drifting iceberg and get some governing spine and ideology beyond “fully fund Dentsu.”

Maybe this time, the opposition will get its stuff together and not suffer incredibly bad luck with a disaster and a nuclear meltdown.

10 ( +18 / -8 )

@Nemo : Which oppositon? Which bloc? Which leader? I, like so many others wouldn't even know who that is at this current moment. Do you?

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Abe's controversial state funeral may backfire on Kishida

The LDP's utter cluelessness could play a role too...

9 ( +13 / -4 )

Dog and pony show while in Shizuoka 63,000 households are still without running water since the heavy rain from the weekend. Mario Abe brought the Olympics to Tokyo pulling much needed labor and equipment from the Tohoku area to begin construction for the games while over 100,000 people were still in temporary housing years after the disaster. Abenomics was a disaster that only increased the wealth gap, and when 'Rona was raging across the world, the only plan he had was his ludicrous mask and quit when the heat in the kitchen got too hot. And this doesn't even cover all the corruption with 森加計桜. The mere fact that there's so much controversy regarding this tax funded memorial clearly shows how Abe and the LDP have led this country. Kishida will still have to deal with Abe's new addition to his already infamous legacy, that of the Moonies. But yet, thousands lined the streets to offer flowers and prayers, and will no doubt vote LDP again.

20 ( +25 / -5 )

Problem is ...there is no decent strong opposition

CCP is the second most powerful party in the world. Soon to be the top dog maybe. We can alway join them. Anything’s better than LDP/Nippon Kaigi/unification Church.

my food shopping budget is now officially up 15%.

-7 ( +9 / -16 )

The next G7 summit will be held in Hiroshima, the election turf for host Kishida. That may turn out to be a farewell party for him :)

6 ( +11 / -5 )

@Resident,

No and that’s a fair point. I’ve kind of checked out of domestic politics lately. I used to be up on these parties.

I would, in attempting to answer your question, vote center left (not for the CJP) if I had a vote which I don’t. The best I can do is complain here.

Seems as though I’ve some amount of company.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

theResidentToday  07:36 am JST

@dan is exactly right. Until the 'opposition' can find ANYBODY with some charisma as a leader, stick together for more than a year, come up with a sensible name, and policies that will make people sit up and listen AND target voters int he 30-50 range who just don't bother then the LDP will continue to have carte blanche for years.

Unless this great leader can also raise enough money and find enough candidates to take on the LDP in every constituency, it's not going to make any difference.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

 ...there is no decent strong opposition

is the LDP decent?

Plus the US 2020 election proved that you don't need a strong opposition to win- you just need strong opposition to the current administration.

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

I still don't get what all the fuss is about. The guy was the longest-serving PM ever, and unpopular or otherwise, he was popular enough to achieve that status. He was shot and killed while acting in that role (albeit in retirement), a very rare occurrence in Japan, or any 1st world country for that matter.

The opposition is likely overblown, giving too much press time to the loudest shouters. Just like in the US when something/someone is all over the news for being "racist", just because the 0.01% percent of the population screaming and hollering about it says so.

-11 ( +7 / -18 )

Is against the Regulations of the Law,spending taxes money against the people will ! Abe already had a funeral ! not need a second one he passed away only one time and not twice!

2 ( +6 / -4 )

A very good point brought up by other posters here that the problem with Japan's political situation is there doesn't appear to be any viable opposition.

Regarding that, we have the following:

[The C.I.A.'s help for Japanese conservatives resembled other cold war operations, like secret support for Italy's Christian Democrats. But it remained secret -- in part, because it succeeded. The Liberal Democrats thwarted their Socialist opponents, maintained their one-party rule, forged close ties with Washington and fought off public opposition to the United States' maintaining military bases throughout Japan.

"This story reveals the intimate role that Americans at official and private levels played in promoting structured corruption and one-party conservative democracy in post-war Japan, and that's new," said John Dower, a leading Japan scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "We look at the L.D.P. and say it's corrupt and it's unfortunate to have a one-party democracy. But we have played a role in creating that misshapen structure."]

https://www.nytimes.com/1994/10/09/world/cia-spent-millions-to-support-japanese-right-in-50-s-and-60-s.html

...don't be surprised if this post is moderated for being deemed 'off topic.'

2 ( +6 / -4 )

There is no legal mechanism for holding a state funeral with public funds for someone who isn’t the Emperor or the PM.

And they did it with no public consultation.

AND the cost was exorbitant.

THATS what all the fuss is about.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

YubaruToday  07:44 am JST

Folks should get their ear-plugs ready 

(⌒▽⌒) yup! louder is better!

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

“Gone with Abe. Bye bye Kishida.”

The sign held in the photo above by the protesting old woman raised an eyebrow.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

re: the comments above with regard to 'no viable opposition'. of course, because the 70-ish years of status quo politics suits the whole cast of the long-playing performance of political theatre. and please don't suppose it's any different anywhere else.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

I don't think you'll find there is a legal mechanism for anybody than the current Emperor actually.

UK is the same. Only the monarch, but an exception was made for Churchill. Thatcher was offered, but declined.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Will not backfire. Next elections LPD will win on a landslide, again.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Although I am sure that Akihito will have a state funeral upon his death (and rightfully so in my opinion), I think you'll find it isn't an automatic 'given'

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

"May backfire" and "may be forced to dissolve the lower house sometime after his support rate falls below the 30 percent level". That's just mere smokescreen. Everyone who lives here, indeed every citizen, knows that the LDP "wins" elections here. Because those who go to the polls simply vote for someone from the LDP because other members of their family do, or always have.

There is an opposition here. A de-facto "fairly strong" one. The only problem, though, is that they have virtually no access to power. Because people will continue to vote LDP.

However, despite my whining about the above, one thing is quite striking to me.

Huge sums of money are being spent on the protection of political officials. Including protecting Abe. There were police officers everywhere, but they did absolutely nothing at the time. At the first shot they just looked like school kids on a field trip instead of protecting the protected person. Our tax money to protect Abe went out the window. And now they're going to hold a state funeral for an absolutely astronomical sum.

A state funeral for a person who is no longer PM, or an Emperor. A person who was not the de-facto head of state at the time.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

In 2021, Abe appeared in a video message aired at an event held by an affiliated organization of the Unification Church, now formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.

The state funeral means a lot to the UC, for the cult can now portray Abe as a martyr to legitimize their illicit activities and support, and its followers are misled to believe this narrative. They might want to see Abe "canonized" and all is done at the expense of our tax money!

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

It's high time people realize that the Japanese government is a Dictatorship. Protests in Japan are always meaningless, useless & toothless. All forms of protests in Tokyo are always monitored by the heavy presence of police. That's not a favor from the government. That's how a dictatorial government shows you that we have you in our pockets.

-3 ( +6 / -9 )

Problem is ...there is no decent strong opposition

CCP is the second most powerful party in the world. Soon to be the top dog maybe. We can alway join them. Anything’s better than LDP/Nippon Kaigi/unification Church.

Thanks for giving me a big laughter :D in the morning, it's too a nice wake-up. Let me go back to work now! :)

... does CCP stand for the Chinese Covid Party?

0 ( +3 / -3 )

@captdingleheimer

 just because the 0.01% percent of the population screaming and hollering about it says so.

'cept in this case consistently around 70% of citizens voiced their concerns with the memorial service.

As nemo stated the key opposition points were the rushed through no consultation process and the exorbitant costs. A dislike of Abe and his scandals and methods followed.

For sure this whole "national/global mourning" is just a veiled attempt to consolidate political prominence.

Nothing to do with violence against democracy as spouted by kishida.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Regardless of personal feelings toward former PM Abe, the man deserves a state funeral, especially because of how he died.

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

CCP is the second most powerful party in the world. Soon to be the top dog maybe. We can alway join them. Anything’s better than LDP/Nippon Kaigi/unification Church.

Many jobs available there too. You'll have to check with your local travel agency to see how much one way tickets cost for you to go there.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Today  08:37 am JST

“ Will not backfire. Next elections LPD will win on a landslide, again. “

..

This has a cultural meaning; the LDP is like the boss in some old-school Japanese office: you will bow to him and say hai and sumimasen. No matter what he says/does, you can’t “ disrespect “ your boss. It’s no one’s fault, it’s just the way things are. BUT, I can tell you 1 thing: *this submissiveness *WILL end.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

sure there is new empty suit ready in line when there will be call from boss for Fumio to go offline...business as usual.

in this country there is no real opposition able to defeat LDP and co and to offer brand new fresh vision or say plan for Japan with outlook for say next 10 years.there was one attempt in history as long as I remember good with Hatoyama and his party but they were gone in few months since could not do anything and reality have kicked in...

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

eToday  08:17 am JST

A very good point brought up by other posters here that the problem with Japan's political situation is there doesn't appear to be any viable opposition.

Regarding that, we have the following:

[The C.I.A.'s help for Japanese conservatives...

It's all very interesting but the fact remains that in the 2009 election the DPJ hammered the LDP. Then they distintegrated and we have the current situation.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Today I put my hands together in gassho type prayer for Japan’s greatest PM. The one who made Japan Great Again.

And this is why Japan never changes.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

One thing I loved about Suga-san over Kishida is how relatable he was. I felt close to him when he took a nap at the Tokyo Olympics ceremony.

"I felt close to him as he dressed up as Mario at the time of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, and it was sad to see the attack" that left Abe dead, said Katsuno.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

The LDP will win the next General Election.

Kishida will not be the leader or PM.

He will carry the can for the Unification Church, the assassination of Abe, and the state funeral.

Until the day arrives there is a strong opposition.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

As state funereals are for royality, Fumio Kishida should have given more consideration to the matter of a state funereal for former Prime Minister Abe. Also, the great cost of a state funereal should have discouraged him.

However what's done cannot be undone. Fumio Kishida must now do what he can to mitigate the harm done to his so far very good reputation as Japan's Prime Minister.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The funeral was achieved, go cry somewhere else..

It's not crying, it's an observation that something was wrong and shouldn't have gone ahead.

If you enjoyed the funeral, fair enough.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Simon FostonToday 10:05 am JST

It's all very interesting but the fact remains that in the 2009 election the DPJ hammered the LDP. Then they distintegrated and we have the current situation.

As if the US would ever allow a GENUINE political force to take office in Japan that threatened their cosy military arrangements here. Grow up.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Those protestors, academics and press who continue to positively hate Abe (I mean it - did you see some of the signage being displayed yesterday? - Wow! I saw several signs of open sympathy for the murder and joy! for Abe's demise yesterday when walking around the Budokan, something conveniently left out of this anti-Abe/LDP slanted reporting), they all once again slip out of reality and into delusional fantasy with their "may...might...could possibly...has the potential to...perhaps" hypotheticals.

As if wishing for something hard enough is all one has to do to make it true! But as others here more firmly planted in this real world have pointed out, Kishida isn't going anywhere anytime soon. The opposition is a mess; they just proved their ineptness in the last disastrous election to come up with anything other than "we're not the LDP" for their campaign, while Kishida's support (not against this one-off event, mind you) is still at least 25% higher than anyone in the other parties.

Wakey-wakey!

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Quote "A poll conducted by the Asahi newspaper between Sept. 10 and Thursday found 58% of those between the ages of 18 and 29 approved of the memorial service, with the percentage sliding to 26% among those age 70 or above. Surveys by public broadcaster NHK in August and September found similar trends by age group. The most common reason for backing the event was respect for Abe's achievements, the paper said."

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

From this morning, Japanese domestic major TV channels' "wide show" program are repeating beautification of yesterday "state funeral" despite undemocratic and constitutional violation.

Those ignore many problem such as "Abe politics" that continued to ruin democracy or alliance with Unification Church cult, emphasise only touching episodes.

It's like propaganda for Abe and LDP.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

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