Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2017 October 25 - 31 [POLITICS]

Deputy PM Aso: LDP won in general election thanks to North Korea

Deputy Prime Minister Aso Taro, also the finance minister, on October 26 at a lecture meeting in Tokyo said that the electoral success of the Liberal Democratic Party was obviously "thanks to North Korea".

This remark implies that the LDP tactic of using the North Korea crisis as a key issue in the October 22 general election helped achieve the successful outcome.

Prime Minister Abe Shinzo maintains a hardline approach toward North Korea, denying the importance of dialogue with Pyongyang. His stance helps increase military tension and downplays the potential consequences of military conflict. A majority of voters in opinion polls answered they do "not support" Japan's stance of dealing with issues concerning North Korea.

However, during the election campaign, the LDP tried to give voters the impression that Japan is facing a national crisis because of threats from North Korea.

Deputy PM Aso in the meeting reinforced his "thanks to North Korea" remark by adding, "Stumping around Japan, in particular, on the Sea of Japan side, many people came to me and said they are really concerned about the potential for war."

Past related articles:
> Abe himself with his support for Trump’s preemptive strike remarks could bring about 'national crisis' [October 20, 2017]
> Change gov’t in general election to solve N. Korea crisis through dialogue [October 2, 2017]
> Deputy PM Aso: Japan may shoot refugees fleeing from possible contingency on Korean Peninsula [September 25, 2017]