For six years, Shinzo Abe, Japan has ruled so far in his second term. He revived the economy and restraining his nationalist instincts. Now he wants to let his party continue to rule. Martin Fritz, Tokyo.
Just five months ago, Japan’s former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi had said the early resignation of his former godson Shinzo Abe before after was the head of government due to alleged nepotism, in two cases, into the twilight. However, Abe’s former Mentor was wrong. On Thursday (20.09.) Japan’s Director is ruling liberal democratic party (LDP) Abe for the second Time, as Chairman to re-elect. The LDP had changed extra its Statute.
His re-election is considered to be safe, since a clear majority of the party rally behind him. In the middle of the longest economic upswing of the post-war period for Japan’s dominant LDP no reason to switch your best horse. Thus, the almost 64-year-old politician is given the Chance to rule Japan until 2021. Thus, Abe is the longest serving Premier of Japan could be since the Second world war, if you include his first term in office (2006 to 2007).
Container port in Tokyo
Good economic balance sheet
The politicians Abe has his party, although never enthusiastically. But the balance of his nearly six years in office is simply too positive to ignore his claim to power. The Japanese gross domestic product grew since 2012, an average of a solid of 1.3 percent annually. Corporate profits rose to a record high, as well as the state tax revenue. The number of employees grew by 2.5 million, although the number of Japanese fell in the working age population due to demographic change, to 4.5 million. Meanwhile, the Central Bank bought up almost half of the government bonds and neutralized to the high level of sovereign debt.
You can argue about how much of Abe’s growth-oriented “Abenomics” policy in this Boom. Because Japan’s economy was, after a long Deflation and fierce financial crisis, ripe for a prolonged cyclical upswing. The greatest support came also from the recovery of the world economy by the global loose monetary policy. The Bank of Japan, the weakening of the Central Bank of Japan, the Yen, Japan’s exports spurred your. In comparison, few reforms affected Abe’s hardly about the improvement of the Corporate Governance, the tax reduction for companies and the taming of the agricultural lobby. The Abe concluded trade agreements with the Pacific-rim countries and the European Union are not yet in force.
“Experienced consultants and strategic communication of political content”
Nikkei: “silent social Revolution”
The German political scientist Sebastian Maslow, one of the researchers at the University of Tokyo, sees the mystery of Abe’s longevity as Prime Minister in the splintered Opposition and a liberal democratic party that has closed its ranks. “Its stable government guidance by experienced consultants and the strategic communication of political content are the main reasons for the success of his government,” said Maslow. The Japanese economic newspaper Nikkei made a “silent social Revolution” by the Opening of Japan to foreign countries responsible for, that Abe could hold so long at the head of government.
Thus, the Nikkei writes to a quadrupling of foreign visitors to Japan to 30 million a year, because the visa procurement has been facilitated. The 2020 Olympic games, which brought Abe to Tokyo, contribute to a new openness to the world. On the other hand, the number of foreign workers has doubled to 1.3 million. In 2019, Japan will open its doors for hundreds of thousands of guest workers a year. Thus, the ultraconservative politicians respond pragmatically to the claim of many companies about the lack of professionals. Only the word “immigration” does not avoid Abe, to put conservative voters unnecessarily in excitement.
Abe with China’s President Xi Jinping in September 2018
Priority for pragmatism
This pragmatism has placed Abe also in the case of its national projects. This is likely to have contributed to its retaining power. Unlike his Mentor Koizumi, he has not visited the memorial for the Japanese victims of war, the Yasukuni Shrine, only a single Time, in order not to jeopardize the rapprochement with China. The controversial laws security and secrecy whipped the Abe government through Parliament, but they have not been applied.
Also in the constitutional reform controlled Abe, yet his urge, the pacifism of article 9, the Japan at War and an army forbids to change. In it, he sees his life’s task, because in order for a national buckling would be eliminated that Japan was created as a result of the world war II defeat. Nevertheless, Abe has expressed his national instincts and focused on the economy. While the politician has now announced that the amendments to the Constitution in the autumn to finally tackle. But the barriers to implementation remain high.
In the face of Local and upper house elections as well as a change on the Imperial throne in the next year, the government parties, the LDP and the Komeito (justice party) could tend to let the hot iron, the splits of Japan society. Also, Abe’s proposal, the existence of the armed forces in the Constitution, is controversial. The German Analyst Maslow does not expect a rash Act of Abe. “Should not the success of the rapid implementation of the Reform, this would mean namely the early retirement for him.”