LDP wins landslide victory in Tokyo elections

HERE WE GO!!!

If Abe can secure control of the upper house, it will relieve a legislative bottleneck and give him free rein to push through the painful reforms commentators say Japan desperately needs.

"Painful reforms"? That statement is only accurate for the folks on the low end of the totem pole. There is NO WAY Abe and his cronies are going to feel any pain at all!

Unless the commentator is alluding to the real reason Abe wants control is to change the constitution, THAT would be painful for generations to come.

Abe said he regretted the low turnout and while welcoming the victory he said “many people have not yet felt the effects of our policies on the economic situation”.

...AND majority of them will never feel during his tenor as PM.

AND majority of them will never feel during his tenor as PM.

Never knew that Abe was a singer! lol! I do believe you meant tenure? And I don't understand why you believe they won't feel anything. The effects of his policies are already being felt with rising prices across the board and no increases in wages and it's only going to get worse.

People are voting for higher prices? Inflation as a vote winner! Who'da thought it?!

56% didn't vote. How can they call it a landslide? It's an embarrassment. People I talked to didn't vote because they feel through past experience, it doesn't matter. We can only pray that Abe will do the right thing for all of us, not just the rich.

Inflation and higher prices. Sadly we cannot compete in this world like we were, at least we are selling stuff now.

We can only pray that Abe will do the right thing for all of us, not just the rich.

I take it you didn't notice that this was not a national election. This was for the Tokyo City Council. The talking heads on TV this AM were saying that the poor voter turnout was more due to a lack of organization on the part of the opposition parties than anything else.

herefornow - You didn't read yesterday's report. "voter turnout was only 29.58%."

A landslide victory based on less than 30% of the population that could be bothered to vote. And, of that 29.58% most were rallied and coerced to vote for the LDP. There is no hope for people that won't help themselves!

You didn't read yesterday's report. "voter turnout was only 29.58%."

That number was based upon exit polls and prior to the close of voting and the counting of absentee ballots as well. According to the news this AM the turnout was around 43%

The good news is the Ishihara/Hashishita nutters only won two seats.

Scrote@Thanks for that. I was going to comment on that omission from the article. The Japan Restoration Party had 3 seats, and is now down by one. Let's hope Hashimoto keeps his promise and resigns.

The idea of democracy has never really caught on here! The contenders are benefiting from their blood line not their competence. Thus the apathy. Why vote ? And we all know that change here is abhorrent. Sit back guys watch the spiral, the implosion is going to be a beaut. Talk about the fall of the Roman Empire, we are here watching a culture in demise. That is something.

I take it you didn't notice that this was not a national election.

True, but as some understand it, it's a preview of the coming national election. The LDP is going to win by far, not because the opposition didn't have time to prepare as in the last election, but because their popularity is down. The LDP and Komeito is still very good at collecting organized votes.

Silver lining is that is LDP becomes more popular with large urban voters they may finally start to roll back their policies that are based on relaince on ageing rural ones.

So no more screaming from little vans, disturbing my quiet Sunday afternoon? Yeah!

So are we going to get rid of Hashi or what???

I am so happy to see the demise of JDP. They have done so much damage to the Japanese society.

Not long till the next one, Ian.

The rot continues unabated, nothing to celebrate at all here

All of the 59 LDP candidates won, which is highest number ever. Even this doesn't give then a majority, so a coalition with New Komeito party, as always.

New Komeito party won 23 seats (all candidates won), exactly the same amount it had before. So there are people voting for it no matter what... You can use these numbers to roughly evaluate the number of Soka Gakkai members living in Tokyo... Sigh, by not voting people are effectively giving more power to this party.

It seems that there are not many Abe detractors in reality, in contrast to what I observe on the JT comment threads!!!

It seems that there are not many Abe detractors in reality, in contrast to what I observe on the JT comment threads!!!

Possibly in direct proportion to the number of Japanese posters on JT.

This is disgusting. The LDP is a cancer. Nuclear power disasters. Racism. Sexism. Twenty years of stagnation. That is what the LDP has wrought. That people in large numbers still support them tells a lot about the level of mass stupidity in Japan.

It's amazing that so many people think that party A is better than party B, which is better than party C. It doesn't make any difference who wins, They're all the same, in every country.

It's like choosing which fatal disease you prefer to get. The result is the same.

"They say this risks further irritating already inflamed relationships with China and South Korea."

Good.

Rants about the LDP, rants about Abe...but consider what was offered as an alternative. With the exception of the Restoration Party, which was more about Hashimoto's gaffes, the other parties were essentially silent. Even the former ruling party, the DPJ had nothing to offer.

You gotta come up with some ideas if you want to overtake the current ruling regime.