Japan's ruling party set for strong election showing after Abe killing

greater military strength is needed to protect japan, hope constitutional revision will pass to bring a little comforter to his dream.

Abe san, RIP!

People usually dread the government,they voted for

So the assassin has unwittingly helped Abe by making him a martyr.

Japan's ruling party set for strong election showing after Abe killing

God, I hope not. Although he may have been assassinated, I absolutely hated his policies.

Cricky...LOL!!!

It might also allow him to revise Japan's pacifist constitution - something even the hawkish Abe was never able to achieve.

Ironically Abe’s ultimate aim which he could never achieve in life may now be fulfilled because of his death.

And this is the problem in Japan,people don’t vote with their heads.

Yes I feel sorry for his death,but the political agenda of the right side of Jiminto which is in control won’t benefit the people at all.

More military,more advantages to the corporations and as usual less welfare.

The conception of democracy here is not fully comprehended,because it means also alternatives and innovations.

Why are Japanese in hurry to speed up their demise by rearming,did you learn from the previous war,that left left Japan a defenseless sheep

YrralToday  09:23 am JST

Why are Japanese in hurry to speed up their demise by rearming,

Because old men in the LDP don't feel macho and virile without lots of missiles, warships, jet fighter planes and a "proper" well-equipped army, navy and air force.

They have the weapons but for some reason not macho.

This is exactly what I told my wife after his murder, and she agreed. People will vote for his party out of sympathy. It's an illogical thing to do, bordering on the ridiculous. But, people are ridiculous, and too often do illogical things.

The gunman was ex SDF. You can’t be stupid to join those forces. Maybe this was his aim all along to shock and force change. Maybe Abe will get what he wanted that he couldn’t achieve in his lifetime.

A sad sad sad state of affairs if this dictates how people decide to vote.

Reaching 69 seats in the upper house would give the LDP a majority, a threshold that had been seen as a stretch prior to Abe's killing.

The revisionist hagiography of Abe post-assassination, both here and abroad, is fueling a sympathy vote.

Sadly yes, people are so shallow and ignorant that they will only remember what has happened in the last week or so, forgetting about all the horrible years and even decades of events that he and the LDP have done during their reign.

So the assassin has unwittingly helped Abe by making him a martyr.

That’s why it’s counterproductive to assassinate a political enemy.

lol. Everyone on this site thinks they know better than the Japanese how to vote. How precious! Stoop over more, help these stupid Japanese make the "correct" choice! lol

What if...low unemployment, clean streets, safe cities, better infrastructure, stronger positioned internationally, better educated, better supported in old age, healthier, and being generally content with their lot in life actually won a lot of votes? Nah...the foreigners know best....

...Except....every time I fly into Heathrow, or LAX, I feel as if I'm entering a disintegrating, third world country, sorry to say. I don't feel that when I arrive in Japan. And I bet I'm not alone....

What if...low unemployment, clean streets, safe cities, better infrastructure, stronger positioned internationally, better educated, better supported in old age, healthier, and being generally content with their lot in life

All that is because of the hard work and practicality of the Japanese working people , not the predatory parasitic LDP oligarchy. It is despite the LDP.

But you may be correct that the Japanese contentment and complacency with their lot could be a fault.

An attack on democracy itself

My observation is that the government as it is now being run by the LDP is a Democratic dictatorship .

Not at all the democracy that they are trying to portray.

The whole concept of democracy isn't understood.

Japanese people being fooled into thinking they made the choice who their leaders are and having a voice as to decisions being made.

Many decisions that affect the citizens being made behind closed doors in private meetings.

Sadly yes, people are so shallow and ignorant that they will only remember what has happened in the last week or so, forgetting about all the horrible years and even decades of events that he and the LDP have done during their reign.

Or people are realists and not so shallow and ignorant to buy cheap talk in oppositions' manifestos as they remember well how horrible years it were when they run this nation in the past.

I'd rather have any party than the JNP, Hate is never the way forward.

Hito BitoToday  01:15 pm JST

lol. Everyone on this site thinks they know better than the Japanese how to vote. How precious! Stoop over more, help these stupid Japanese make the "correct" choice! lol

I know most Japanese actually know better than to vote for the LDP, but because of the messed-up election system the LDP is what they invariably get.

What if...low unemployment...

Lots of people in low-paid "part-time" jobs or underpaid, over-worked full-timers.

...clean streets, safe cities...

Generally true, although the government and the police can't take much credit for safe cities.

better infrastructure,

Doesn't look much better than what you'll find in other developed countries to be honest.

stronger positioned internationally,

An American colony, in other words.

...better educated...

Delapidated public schools, overworked teachers, absurd rules, cram schools, entrance exams, university degrees that are barely worth the paper they're printed on...

...better supported in old age...

Pensions are soon going to be pretty much worthless and all people like Taro Aso can suggest is becoming rich like him so you don't have to bother with a pension.

...healthier, and being generally content with their lot in life actually won a lot of votes?

The LDP don't need to win a lot of votes so they don't really give a rat's a** about actually trying to improve anything.

Nah...the foreigners know best....

We know better than to keep electing the same party for seven decades.

Who would've thought we'd have seen an article like this?

kennyGToday  02:51 pm JST

Or people are realists and not so shallow and ignorant to buy cheap talk in oppositions' manifestos as they remember well how horrible years it were when they run this nation in the past.

They had just three years in charge during which bureaucrats friendly to the LDP continually sabotaged them, the party that ran the government has distintegrated and the people who were in charge have all pretty much disappeared. The current opposition parties should not be judged on the basis of what happened from 2009 to 2012, although they haven't exactly covered themselves in glory in the years since then. It's a pity because the LDP are utterly useless and a really competent opposition party could wipe them off the map.

They had just three years in charge during which bureaucrats friendly to the LDP continually sabotaged them, the party that ran the government has distintegrated and the people who were in charge have all pretty much disappeared. The current opposition parties should not be judged on the basis of what happened from 2009 to 2012, although they haven't exactly covered themselves in glory in the years since then. It's a pity because the LDP are utterly useless and a really competent opposition party could wipe them off the map.

brilliantly put Simon!

I know most Japanese actually know better than to vote for the LDP

But how can you prove that you actually know what most Japanese know ?

Your not even Japanese !

You have some very valid points in your lengthy itemized comment

However its not possible you know what most Japanese want.

Those anti-LDP posters here almost never say which party(s) is better because of this and that. Please don't mention as if any other parties are better than LDP. Guess we don't want to see Japan is being ruled by Mizuho or NHK party.

Their logic look as if Japan has been losing since WW2 because of LDP.

I don't deny the effect from skewed voting parity, and yet, not as skewed enough to flip approval ratings all the time. Why is that?

Majority voters don't have luxury to move to other nations as if you change residence certificate from Tokyo to Saitama , even if they don't like the way it is. Perhaps, you might think of it as well.

Unsurprising, but ironic. Abe's faction was at loggerheads with Kishida's.

Kyo wa heiwa dayo neToday  06:27 pm JST

"I know most Japanese actually know better than to vote for the LDP"

But how can you prove that you actually know what most Japanese know ?

What share of the nationwide vote do the LDP usually get?

kennyGToday  06:38 pm JST

Those anti-LDP posters here almost never say which party(s) is better because of this and that. Please don't mention as if any other parties are better than LDP.

It's not a question of "better" although the opposition's tactics leave a lot to be desired. LDP candidates tend to have name recognition, lots of money and grassroots support in over-represented areas, often passed down through loopholes in the political funds control law from parents and grandparents, and there are a lot more of them than there are opposition candidates. In every other respect they're deeply mediocre.

@Simon Fostn

I know most Japanese actually know better than to vote for the LDP

but how can you prove you actually know what most Japanese know

what share of the nationwide vote do the LDP usually get ?

Ahem..well Simon to answer your question would be redundant.

However it doesn't take a mathematical genius to discover and realize that what your referring to as "most Japanese" is in fact only the Japanese that actually voted.

Do the math !

If they know better then they don't do it - psychology 101

Furthermore i find it hilariously ostentatious and pathetically pantomathic for anyone to assume they know what most people think or want .

I seriously doubt the voting numbers are honestly accurate anyways.

Again - your not even Japanese yet you lecture us on what you know they know.

You don't know