Aso clarifies comments attributing election win to N Korea

Aso is just being honest.  Abe has no real accomplishment to show after 5 years.  They played up the NK issue to get people nervous and to stay in line.  He learned that from Trump.

Aso is Japan's Trump.

Is this man's brain ever connected to his mouth?

You don't say but this smug idiot rubs it in.

Japanese Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso said Thursday the ruling party's recent election landslide is "clearly partly thanks to North Korea."

How about in a large part thanks to the media over-hype and fear mongering that you and the LDP put out to the people prior to the elections!

Without the media jumping on your bandwagon, few if any would really care! That is what fuels NK too! If Kim feels like, thanks to the media, that his brand of "terrorism" is working, he'll continue to use it for his own gains.

Stop over hyping the issue....but then folks might open their eyes and realize that YOU and the LDP are the problem!

More than the media, the J government itself does increase that fear mongering by putting the J Alert over nearly half of the country for an object flying 2000km overhead and that already passed over when the alert is launched.

Whatever the alert there is not much to be protected anyway and Rocket Man has no intention for the time being of attacking any country. He will never attack first

Anyway watch your head on November 5th when Abe Trump will enjoy their golf

For once this buffoon is correct

He is right on this one. Wasn't he gibbering about shooting North Koreans before the election?

Tha's not how the government should respond to the peoples vote!

If this was a proportional election system the LDP/Komeito would have gotten around 25 million votes while the opposition would've gained around 26,5 million votes! You're wrong Aso, again!!

dcog9065Today  08:41 am JST

Anyone can see that the NK issue had a huge effect on the election.

Lucky Abe didn't have to run on his record for personal integrity and handling Japan's other problems, isn't it?

The governments responses to NK’s provocations so far have been flawless which is a big reason I voted for the LDP in this election.

What, lots of tough talk and no action except Abe exploiting the abductees' families for PR? You must be very easily impressed.

dcog9065Today  02:03 pm JST

What, lots of tough talk and no action except Abe exploiting the abductees' families for PR? You must be very easily impressed.

@Simon Foston: Are you serious? The toughest ever sanctions regime on NK. 

So what. That would all have happened no matter what any Japanese politician did. None of it has made the situation any better. I'll be impressed if Abe does something that has a positive outcome for someone except himself and the LDP caucus in the Diet.

You also seem to have an unhealthy obsession

Yes... I've noticed a tendency for Abe supporters to go in for these kinds of personal attacks when they don't have any good counterarguments.

bordering on creepiness with Abe, you gotta let it go, you lost the election. It's getting embarrassing now

You can give advice like that when you stop mentioning the opposition continually and saying the same things over and over again. Endless repetition is something else people do when they have nothing else better to say.

you are aware that only around 20 odd % of the eligible electorate voted for Abe. Hardly convincing, but as you stated certainly a major victory was had.

Are YOU aware that less than 1% of the electorate actually voted for Abe?

Thank you fat boy. You caused more harm to Japan than if you had nuked us. Very well played

Well, CAPITALIZING on the NK issue and fearmongering might be closer to the truth.

Play golf with a visiting head of state when Japan is facing a national crisis with the J-alert about to be put in force?

IF it was a "national crisis" it's been around for quite some time now, and conspiracy crap that people spout off is a HUGE part of the problem.

Media and anyone else that keeps putting out junk about a "crisis" should be deleted!

Yeah, I can believe that. But now what is Abe going to do about it?

He's absolutely correct this time, and so is the opposition when they say the government exploited it for the win.

He didn't clarify Aso has foot in mouth syndrome

dcog9065Today  05:25 pm JST

So what. That would all have happened no matter what any Japanese politician did. None of it has made the situation any better. I'll be impressed if Abe does something that has a positive outcome for someone except himself and the LDP caucus in the Diet.

@Simon Foston: You're claiming counterfactuals now, come on..

Sorry, what does "claiming counterfactuals" even mean? Did you just make it up?

Your point is as farcical as me saying that Japan would have been nuked into extinction by now if the opposition won: you can't ever prove that I'm wrong. Surely you have better points than this garbage?

Got anything to back up the claim that opposition politicians would do a worse job? There doesn't appear to be much to what you're saying except Abe's fantastic and the opposition are all rubbish. All I'm seeing from Abe is pretty much the same as what anyone else would do, and a situation that has continued to rapidly deteriorate in spite of his supposedly "excellent" response.

On a side note, enough about the election. The opposition got hilariously thrashed and their supporters are severely triggered and whingeing and whining like morons; that is a clear and indisputable fact and it's also to be expected by such lousy opposition and weak supporters.

Well, I fully expected the LDP to win and I'm actually quite pleased that the opposition has split into conservative and liberal parties, with the CDPJ doing better than expected while the Hope Party did a lot worse. All I could have hoped for, really. I don't know if they can capitalize on it but it's an encouraging development and far better than having a hopelessly fractious party like the pre-election DP as the main opposition.

Move on from that comedy

See your own comment, and all the other ones you've written just like it. Move on yourself.

Aso is a poster child of current Japanese leaders. He was PM before. The truth is that garbage in, garbage out. With this kind govt, it isn't surprise that Japan lost $1.2 trillion GDP in the past 5 years.

Yubaru - Thanks.  I make little distinction between Abe & ldp. For me all cut from the same branch.

All international community is working hard to calm down Korea and rid it of nuclear weapons, this Japanese deputy thank for it. Is Japan lying to the international community or what ?

Maybe Kim should join the LDP?

Taro Aso is very candid to tell the truth. During and before the election campaign, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was stirring up the fear of North Korea of its missile launchings and nuclear tests, saying this was Japan's national crisis.

But Abe is planning to play golf with U.S. President Donald Trump when the latter visits Japan early next month. Play golf with a visiting head of state when Japan is facing a national crisis with the J-alert about to be put in force?

dcog - you are aware that only around 20 odd % of the eligible electorate voted for Abe. Hardly convincing, but as you stated certainly a major victory was had.

In part due to the gerrymander that is the cringeworthy electoral boundary system.

And in part due to the reason in the above article mouthed by Aso - the NKoreans are coming and only we can save you so vote for us.

And in part due to a woefully divided opposition.

And in part due to people only looking out for only themselves and not the welfare of others.

And in part due to extreme political naivety displayed by many, but understandable as they've been brought up to accept the staus quo and believe what they're told. ie a stable liar is better than an unknown non-liar.

And in part due to an apathy on display for no other reason than "nothing changes" (sic).

I'm dearly hoping Japan can draw the veil that is clouding the reality that exists for most citizens of this country. Then we can begin to answer some of the truly pressing problems facing the lives of millions and break away from the constant pantomine of bread & circuses. epitomized by Abe Inc antics.

this guy loves Hitler and hates Burakumin people. yuk

Aso was being candid. The left opposition are indeed weaklings in front of norkor. Would they be any better in managing the economy? I doubt it.

browny1Oct. 27  10:59 pm JST

dcog - you are aware that only around 20 odd % of the eligible electorate voted for Abe. Hardly convincing, but as you stated certainly a major victory was had.

It would have been a major victory if there had been high voter turn out, roughly equal numbers of voters in each constituency and a unified opposition party under an effective leader fielding candidates in every single seat race. However I think the LDP would have knifed Abe in the back and got in someone charismatic and competent had that been the case. Easy victories are about all he can manage.

xin xinToday  02:46 am JST

Aso was being candid. The left opposition are indeed weaklings in front of norkor.

I suppose it must take a certain amount of brazen shamelessness for Abe to keep the abductee issue in the public eye when he knows there is absolutely nothing he can do about it.

Would they be any better in managing the economy? I doubt it.

What, worse that a party that keeps piling on more and more debt onto a deficit that is already more than double GDP and doing absolutely nothing about stagnant wages and rising living costs?

North Korea has nothing to do with the impressive victory of LDP Komeito combine in the recent election . It is the charismatic personality and policies of PM Abe which has led to the great victory in the lower house election.

What, lots of tough talk and no action except Abe exploiting the abductees' families for PR? You must be very easily impressed.

@Simon Foston: Are you serious? The toughest ever sanctions regime on NK. China and Russia uniting and agreeing on sanctions and unity of response. 3 US aircraft carrier groups in the Western Pacific. And worldwide condemnation against NK. What part of that is tough talk only? What would you have everyone do over NK? Bend over and cede territory likely? I'm thankful you cannot vote in this country even though you helpfully pay our taxes.

You also seem to have an unhealthy obsession bordering on creepiness with Abe, you gotta let it go, you lost the election. It's getting embarrassing now

Anyone can see that the NK issue had a huge effect on the election.

The governments responses to NK’s provocations so far have been flawless which is a big reason I voted for the LDP in this election.

Why on Earth would you trust an untested opposition unable to even field enough candidates for a majority with such volatile issues like Trump and NK, unless your aim is to self harm? Pure folly and silliness.

So what. That would all have happened no matter what any Japanese politician did. None of it has made the situation any better. I'll be impressed if Abe does something that has a positive outcome for someone except himself and the LDP caucus in the Diet.

@Simon Foston: You're claiming counterfactuals now, come on.. Your point is as farcical as me saying that Japan would have been nuked into extinction by now if the opposition won: you can't ever prove that I'm wrong. Surely you have better points than this garbage?

On a side note, enough about the election. The opposition got hilariously thrashed and their supporters are severely triggered and whingeing and whining like morons; that is a clear and indisputable fact and it's also to be expected by such lousy opposition and weak supporters. Move on from that comedy